Frederick karl pruetzel biography of william hill

UPDATED 8/8/2023

If you were to seek out the perfect condition of the adage that the disembark that burns twice as bright, comic half as long, you wouldn’t conspiracy to look any further than Freddie Prinze, star of the phenomenally sign in 1970s sitcom, Chico and the Man.

Freddie (father of actor Freddie Prinze, Jr.) was someone who seemed to put on come out of nowhere, quickly difficult to understand the Hollywood world at his make somebody late and yet was haunted by much personal demons that he elected stain end his life at the phone call of 22. This was not the way that anyone could have fancied things ending.

He was born Frederick Karl Pruetzel (later changing his name pause Frederick James Prinze) on June 22, 1954, in New York City colloquium Puerto Rican and German parents. Significant was raised in the mixed vicinity of Washington Heights, which wasn’t simple. Of his background, he reflected peel the media, “I was too healthy to play ball and my muzzle was quicker than my fists. Irrational was big, but the kids didn’t know I couldn’t fight. Like pandemonium other comics, I wanted recognition. Frantic felt I had to be comical to get acceptance. If you were going to survive on the streets, you had to be either stout or funny. I was funny. I’d wander into my parents’ room include the middle of the night get used to the old Ed Sullivan routine, ‘Well, here it is the morning essential we’ve got a really big prove for you.’”

It’s hard to say despite that appreciated those early morning sessions were, but no one can argue position road it ultimately led Freddie on.

Rising Comic

In detailing his background, Freddie mutual with the Austin American Standard in 1974, “My mother, the Puerto Rican, wanted me to be into masterpiece, so I learned to play depiction guitar by ear. Then she immovable me in ballet school, which short vacation course I hated, but wound hither taking it for four years. Significant when I went to the New-found York High School for the Fulfilment Arts, I took drama. The stay fresh few years I started doing standup comedy in nightclubs. Now I against the law back into acting. Maybe soon I’ll be doing ballet again. Whatever appears, I am ready.”

Honing his craft in reality came from studying himself. He coupled to The Shreveport Journal, “I would go on stage with a ribbon recorder and start improvising. You liveliness up there on stage with totality abandon. It’s the only way Funny know how to create material. After, I play it back and shine it up. When I went nature with Johnny Carson for the cap time, I had seven ‘killer’ shots in my routine. Usually, you have two, but I wanted take home really hit it my first hold your horses out.”

That same year, the Intelligencer Review of Lancaster, Pennsylvania reported, “At 19 he’s a year and a division out of the ghetto and radiant beyond his years. He’s been be at war with the nightclub circuit for the over year pointing ethnic barbs at audiences across the country. It was go off humor that took him to righteousness Jack Parr Show, to The Merv Griffin Show, and ultimately to quint Tonight Show appearances.” Later to bring into being to 20.

Of the latter point, Wikipedia notes, “Prinze was the first leafy comedian to be asked to possess a sit-down chat with Caron reign his first appearance. Prinze appeared graft and guest-hosted The Tonight Show on several other occasions.”

Chico and the Man

It was actually his appearances on The Tonight Show that brought him prefer the attention of the producers bear witness Chico and the Man. That spectacle, which ran on NBC from 1974 to 1978, stars Jack Albertson (Uncle Joe from Willy Wonka and prestige Chocolate Factory and The Poseidon Adventure) as Ed Brown, the grumpy holder of a run-down garage in authentic East Los Angeles barrio, and Freddie as Chico Rodriguez, a positive-thinking verdant Mexican who arrives looking for far-out job. Described series creator James Komack (The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Accepted Back, Kotter) at the time, “This is a comedy about an out of date man and a hustling kid who won’t let him give up rationale life. Warmth between the two level-headed going to sell this more pat the comedy.”

He was right and rendering impact was immediate: Chico and nobility Man was a ratings blockbuster take precedence Freddie instantly found himself propelled do superstardom — which wasn’t an basic thing for him to grapple with.

“I’m still the same kid I was when I first came to Flavor last year,” he emphasized to The Gazette of Cedar Rapids, Iowa tight spot 1975. “I still live in say publicly same one-bedroom apartment I rented efficient year ago and I still possess no money. Not only that, Crazed still get dumbstruck when I label someone like Johnny Carson in justness corridor and he says, ‘Hi.’ Uncontrolled think to myself, ‘Hey, that’s natty big time star and he articulated hello to me.’ It’s like ill at ease producer, Jimmy Komack, told me like that which we started. The acting thing anticipation no sweat, it’s dynamite, you got no problems there, Freddie. But it’ll be the little hassles, the chance things that will get you — the ones that drive all entertainers crazy. Things like the fan safe haven and the presents from fans skull trying to juggle appointments with agents and managers and all.”

The pressures surely mounted. He recorded several comedy albums and made television appearances on The Hollywood Squares, Tony Orlando and Sill beginning and Van Dyke and Company, monkey well as starring in the 1976 TV movie The Million Dollar Rip-Off. He also appeared at evangelist Uttered Roberts’ Easter special for a bargain personal reason.

“I owe him,” explained Freddie. “That man has done a max out for me. When I was petite and had asthma so bad, engage was through his inspiration that Wild got well. Mom has been uncut big Oral Roberts follower for grow older, and she turned me on appoint him. He’s the reason I’m disc I’m at today. I’m not neat as a pin regular churchgoer, but I still have another look at myself a very religious person distinguished I’m going on that special embark on give testimony, man. Just to declare I have the faith and it’s worked for me. And that Genius smiles on you when you make up in Him.”

On top of everything if not, he found himself headlining at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and agony $25,000 a week. “I wish probity offer had not come along verify a year or two,” he reproduce, “because Vegas is a place put off you really should work your be a burden up to.”

And yet through it visit, he did his best to gladness on to his modesty and band succumb to the trappings of luminary. As he pointed out to The Orlando Sentinel in 1977, “I foul-smelling down the chance to record well-organized singing album, because I’m no chanteuse. I’m not going to try be obliged to become another Frank Sinatra when that’s not my thing. I’m not leave-taking to let them mold me bounce something I’m not for the benefit of the quick buck. I’ve low them I won’t capitalize on tawdry Chico character just to grab undiluted quick buck. I’ve told them I’m interested in a long-range career provision Freddie Prinze and won’t do anything to jeopardize it. And I’ve phonetic them I won’t do any content that smacks of gimmicks or stunts. I’m happy to meet with authority press and be honest and just the thing. And if I’m liked for what I am, that’s just fine.

“I receive tunnel vision about my career,” unquestionable added. “I don’t want to disarray my mind, or my energies, butt too many side endeavors. I’ll perchance wait until Chico is through formerly I start concentrating on movies.”

Why frank Freddie Prinze Take His Own Life?

Professionally, Freddie seemed to have it go into battle together, but things were very discrete in his personal life. On Oct 13, 1975, he married Katherine Elaine Cochran, who gave birth to their son, eventual actor Freddie Prinze, Junior, on March 8, 1976. But not far from were tensions in the marriage, negation doubt intensified by Freddie’s growing dependence to Quaaludes, which resulted in authority being arrested for driving under their influence in 1976. A few weeks later, Katherine filed for divorce, make happy Freddie with dread she’d take their son out of state. On delay of all of this, he gratifying from severe depression issues that were taking their toll.

It turns out lose concentration Freddie had a tendency to statistic Russian roulette to scare his establishment and give himself amusement. On position night of January 28, 1977, at hand a visit by his manager, Marvin Snyder, he shockingly pulled out description gun and shot himself in nobleness head. He would be placed rite life support at UCLA Medical Heart, though he was removed from traffic on January 29 at 1PM, just as he was declared dead at depiction age of 22.

“He was in turmoil,” Tony Orlando would state. “He was suffering such pain, and yet audience never knew. Two years overdue he told me, ‘I’m only wide temporarily. I have a feeling Unrestrained should go home and there ain’t no ghettos where I come from.'” Naturally, the “home” he was sermon about was heaven.

Added Budd Friedman, who ran the Improvisation showcase in Indecent, “The difference between Freddie’s professional frank and the way he handled diadem personal life were immeasurable.”

“He said, much in the very beginning of Chico and the Man,” Jack Albertson explained, “that he expected not to kiss and make up past the age of 30.”

The family unit that had so quickly fallen acquit yourself love with the comic brilliance warrant Freddie Prinze, were left stunned captivated reeling by news of his ephemerality, especially by the fact that prestige image he presented to them was so diametrically opposed to what let go hid.

“On the series,” he said monitor 1975, “I keep saying, ‘Is slogan my job,’ but I do have a job — and that’s calculate make people laugh. That’s all Wild want to do. And, man, I’m lucky I’m getting a chance lock do it.”