Freddie Prinze

Freddie Prinze (June 22, 1954–January 29, 1977) was a American stand-up comedian and actor of Jewish and Puerto Rican descent. In his short career he was mostly widely known as the star of Chico and the Man.

Personal life

He was born Frederick Karl Pruetzel at St. Clair's Hospital in New York, New York, the son of Karl and Maria Pruetzel.

Related Topics:
St. Clair's Hospital - New York - New York

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Freddie was raised in the Washington Heights section of New York. His father was of Hungarian Jewish descent and his mother was Puerto Rican Catholic. Ever the comic, Freddie would later design his background as "Hungarican", though he considered himself Puerto Rican.

Related Topics:
Washington Heights - New York - Hungarian - Jewish - Puerto Rican - Catholic - Hungarican - Puerto Rican

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As a small child his mother enrolled him in ballet classes because of his weight problem.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Freddie was educated first in a private Lutheran school, in a religious compromise by his parents (though his mother took him to Mass on Sundays). Then, without telling his parents, he auditioned for and was accepted to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where among other subjects he was introduced to drama and continued to study ballet. This was also where he really found his gift for comedy — he would entertain crowds in the boys' restroom — and he quit school in his senior year to become a stand-up comedian.

Related Topics:
Lutheran - Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Popular with the ladies, he dated actresses Lisa Farringer, and Pam Grier, among others. He was also good friends with Kitty Bruce, daughter of the late Lenny Bruce, whom Prinze admired. He and Kitty Bruce were reported to have been engaged to be married at one time, but the rumor was never substantiated.

Related Topics:
Lisa Farringer - Pam Grier - Lenny Bruce

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He married Katherine Cochran in October 1975. They had one son, Freddie James Prinze, who later became an actor. The son's middle name was in honor of James Komack, producer of Chico and the Man.

Related Topics:
1975 - Freddie James Prinze - James Komack

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1976, after his arrest for driving under the influence of Quaaludes, his wife filed for divorce on the grounds that his escalating dependence on drugs was endangering her and their son.

Related Topics:
1976 - Driving under the influence

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~