[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Pages 16238-16239]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       EDDIE ALBERT: IN MEMORIAM

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise to honor an extraordinary actor, 
entertainer, and humanitarian. Upon his passing, Eddie Albert leaves a 
legacy of talent, determination, and good will.
  Eddie Albert Heimberger was born in Illinois on April 22, 1906, and 
moved to Minneapolis as a child. It was there that Mr. Albert began his 
stage career, hosting magic shows and singing in small venues to put 
himself through drama school. After becoming a crowd pleaser in 
Minnesota, he decided to pursue his creative passion in other cities 
and on the radio. After dropping his last name to avoid being 
mistakenly called Eddie Hamburger, he shifted his focus to comedy. His 
success on the airwaves led to his 1935 Broadway debut in the comedy 
``O Evening Star.''
  Mr. Albert went on to appear on Broadway several times before making 
it to Hollywood in 1937 as Bing Edwards in the film ``Brother Rat.'' 
His fame grew, and in 1939 Mr. Albert started entertaining audiences as 
an aerialist and clown in a traveling Mexican circus. During his time 
there, he began providing intelligence to the U.S. Government on 
Japanese and Nazi activity in Mexico. His career was put on hold when 
he bravely served in the Marines during World War II. He was awarded 
the Bronze Star for his courageous fighting in the Battle of Tarawa.
  Upon returning from his service overseas, he started Eddie Albert 
Productions and worked behind the camera to make sex education films, a 
rarity in their time. One of his best known roles was in the 1960s 
sitcom ``Green Acres,'' in which he portrayed lawyer turned farmer 
Oliver Wendell Douglas. Appearing in nearly 100 films, Mr. Albert 
earned two best supporting actor Academy Award nominations for his 
parts in ``Roman Holiday'' (1953) and ``The Heartbreak Kid'' (1972).
  Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Albert traveled the world and became 
interested in the fight against poverty and preserving the environment. 
In the 1970s, he established the City Children's Farms and dedicated 
his free time to publicly speaking about the importance of nutrition 
for the world's children. He served as a special envoy for the 
philanthropic mission ``Meals for Millions'' and as a consultant for 
the World Hunger Conference. An avid outdoors man, Mr. Albert treasured 
the beaches, trails, and wildlife near his home in Southern California. 
He used his fame to bring much needed attention to the harmful effects 
of DDT and, on his birthday in 1970, Mr. Albert helped inaugurate the 
first Earth Day. Later that year, he and his wife opened a community 
arts center in Los Angeles, which is still in operation today.
  In 1945, Mr. Albert married actress Margo, nee Maria Marguerita 
Guadalupe Teresa Estela Bolado Castilla y O'Donnell. She preceded him 
in death in 1985. Eddie Albert died of pneumonia on May 26, 2005, at 
his home in Pacific Palisades, CA. He is survived by his son, daughter, 
and two grandchildren. Whether as an entertainer or philanthropist, Mr. 
Albert will be remembered for his passion and dedication to making 
others smile. His talents and kindness will surely be missed.

[[Page 16239]]



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