Eddie Bracken
Born	Edward Vincent Bracken (1915-02-07)February 7, 1915 Astoria, Queens, New York, U.S.
Died	November 14, 2002(2002-11-14) (aged 87) Glen Ridge, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupations	Actor comedian singer
Years active	1930–2002
Spouse	Connie Nickerson ​ ​ (m. 1939; died 2002)​
Children	5

Edward Vincent Bracken (February 7, 1915 – November 14, 2002) was an American actor. Bracken came toHollywood prominence for his comedic lead performances in the filmsHail the Conquering Hero andThe Miracle of Morgan's Creek both from 1944, both of which have been preserved by theNational Film Registry. During this era, he also had success onBroadway, with performances in plays likeToo Many Girls (1940).

Bracken's later movie roles includeNational Lampoon's Vacation (1983),Oscar (1991),Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992),Rookie of the Year (1993), andBaby's Day Out (1994).

Edward Vincent Bracken was born inAstoria, Queens,New York on February 7, 1915, the son of Joseph L. and Catherine Bracken.^[1] Bracken performed in vaudeville at the age of nine and gained fame with theBroadway musicalToo Many Girls in a role he reprised for the 1940 film adaptation. He had performed in a short film series calledThe Kiddie Troupers (one of manyOur Gang-like series) prior to that, but that film was his big break. In 1936, Bracken enjoyed success on Broadway with his starring run in the Joseph Viertel playSo Proudly We Hail. The military drama, co-starringRichard Cromwell, opened to much fanfare but closed after 14 performances at the 46th Street Theatre.^{[citation needed]}

In the 1940s, directorPreston Sturges cast Bracken in two of his films,The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, oppositeBetty Hutton, andHail the Conquering Hero. Due to the popularity of these films, Eddie Bracken was a household name duringWorld War II.^{[citation needed]} He made numerousradio broadcasts and had his own program,The Eddie Bracken Show.

In 1953, Bracken leftHollywood. He appeared on Broadway inShinbone Alley;Hello, Dolly!;The Odd Couple; andSugar Babies. His last appearance on Broadway was in the musicalDreamtime, directed by David Niles at theEd Sullivan Theater, at the age of 77.

Bracken's television roles between 1952 and 2000 include an episode ofThe Golden Girls as Rose Nylund's ex-childhood boyfriend from St. Olaf, as well as an episode ofTales from the Darkside playing a stubborn old man who refuses to believe that he has died. After nearly 30 years out of feature films, he returned to perform character roles, including the sympatheticWalley World theme park founder Mr. Roy Walley inNational Lampoon's Vacation (1983) and Duncan's Toy Chest toy store owner Mr. Duncan inHome Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). Bracken also had a long career withPaper Mill Playhouse inNew Jersey, starring in dozens of productions in the 1980s–early 2000s. One high point was their production ofShow Boat in which he played Captain Andy Hawkes. This production was broadcast on PBS in 1990. He also played a cameo inPatrick Read Johnson's 1994 film,Baby's Day Out, as one of the veterans in the old soldier's home.

Bracken acted in films with two actors who later becameU.S. Presidents:Ronald Reagan andDonald Trump. He co-starred inThe Girl from Jones Beach with Reagan in 1949, and Trump played a minor part inHome Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992.^[2]

Bracken campaigned for RepublicanThomas E. Dewey during the1944 U.S. presidential election campaign.^[3]

On November 14, 2002, Bracken died inGlen Ridge, New Jersey, of complications from surgery for a crushed disk in his neck^[4] at the age of 87. His wife of 63 years, Connie Nickerson, a former actress, died in August 2002, just three months before his death.^[1] He met Connie when they performed together in a road company of the Broadway playWhat a Life in 1938. Together Eddie and Connie had five children: two sons (Michael and David) and three daughters (Judy, Carolyn and Susan).^{[citation needed]}

For his contributions to radio and television, Bracken has two stars on theHollywood Walk of Fame, at 1651 Vine Street and 6751 Hollywood Boulevard respectively.

• Eddie Bracken atIMDb
• Eddie Bracken at theInternet Broadway Database

• 1915 births
• 2002 deaths
• American male film actors
• American male voice actors
• American male radio actors
• American male stage actors
• American male musical theatre actors
• People from Astoria, Queens
• Actors from Glen Ridge, New Jersey
• American vaudeville performers
• 20th-century American male actors
• American male television actors
• American male comedians
• 21st-century American male actors
• Male actors from Queens, New York
• Comedians from Queens, New York
• 20th-century American comedians
• 21st-century American comedians
• 20th-century American singers
• 20th-century American male singers
• Comedians from Essex County, New Jersey
• Male actors from Essex County, New Jersey

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• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles with hCards
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• Articles with unsourced statements from August 2023
• Internet Broadway Database person ID same as Wikidata