Scatman Crothers was born 112 years ago today.
An actor, singer, dancer and musician known for his work as Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show, Chico and the Man, Crothers also played Dick Hallorann in the Stanley Kubrick film, The Shining, in 1980.
Crothers was also a prolific voiceover artist, and provided the voices of Meadowlark Lemon in the animated TV version of The Harlem Globetrotters, Jazz the Autobot in The Transformers, the title character in Hong Kong Phooey and Scat Cat in the 1970 animated Disney film, The Aristocats.
Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, Crothers got the nickname “Scatman” when he auditioned for a radio show in 1932 at the former WSMK (now WING) in Dayton, Ohio. The director didn't think his given name Benjamin was catchy enough, so Crothers quickly concocted the handle, Scat Man, although this talent, scat singing, would develop later. He continued to enjoy this talent throughout his career, even teaching scat singing to college students.
Later, the nickname was condensed to Scatman by Arthur Godfrey. In his early career, he also associated with many Cleveland-based acts.
Crothers started his musical career as a 15-year-old drummer in a speakeasy band in his home town of Terre Haute. He played a variety of instruments, including drums and guitar, on jazz club band circuits in his early days as an entertainer. Among the people for whom he performed was the notorious gangster, Al Capone.
Crothers formed his own band in the 1930s and traveled to Oakland, California with the band in 1948. He played piano at the Port O' Call and Walt's 405 Club. He also appeared in a 1950 episode of The Phil Harris/Alice Faye Radio Program performing "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" with Harris, who introduced him as Scatman Roth. He left Oakland to stay in Los Angeles in 1952.
Crothers made his official debut in the movie, Meet Me at the Fair (1953). He worked in both movies and television, often taking bit parts. He also made musical shorts and played drums with Slim Gaillard in the mid-1940s. Crothers then landed a major supporting role in the 1970 animated film, The Aristocats, from Walt Disney Productions, providing the voice of "Scat Cat."
He also performed the film's theme song, "Ev'rybody Wants to be a Cat." Good friends with Jack Nicholson, he appeared in four of his films: The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), The Fortune (1975), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and The Shining (1980).
A heavy smoker most of his life, Crothers was diagnosed with lung cancer in late 1985. But he kept his condition a secret in order to continue working. The cancer eventually spread to his esophagus by mid-1986 and he was unable to speak.
He died of pneumonia on November 22, 1986 at his home in Van Nuys, California at age 76.
Here Crothers performs in “The Shining” in 1980. He explains what the Shine is.