| Eddie Fisher (singer) |
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To his family, Fisher was always called "Sonny Boy" or "Sonny," which may have been an allusion to a song made famous by Al Jolson . It was known at an early age that he had talent as a Vocalist and he started singing in numerous Amateur contests, which he usually won. He sang on the radio in high school and was later on '' Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts '', a popular contest that was broadcast over the Radio before moving to Television . By 1946 , Fisher was crooning with the bands of Buddy Morrow and Charlie Ventura . He was heard in 1949 by Eddie Cantor at Grossinger's Resort in the Borscht Belt . After performing on Cantor's radio show he was an instant hit and gained nationwide exposure. He was then signed to a Contract with RCA Victor . Fisher was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951 and sent to Texas for basic training. He served a year in Korea . The photos of him in uniform during his time in the Service did not hurt his Civilian Career ; after his discharge he became even more popular singing in top nightclubs. He also had a variety Television series, '' Coke Time With Eddie Fisher '' ( NBC ) ( 1953 )-( 1957 ), appeared on Perry Como 's show, '' The Chesterfield Supper Club '', the '' George Gobel Show'', and had another series, '' The Eddie Fisher Show '' (NBC) ( 1957 )-( 1959 ). A pre- Rock And Roll Vocalist , Fisher's strong and melodious tenor made him a Teen Idol and one of the most popular singers of the 1950s . He had seventeen songs in the Top 10 on the music charts between 1950 and 1956 and thirty-five in the Top 40. In 1956 , Fisher costarred with then-wife Debbie Reynolds in the Musical Comedy '' Bundle Of Joy ''. He played a serious role in the 1960 drama '' Butterfield 8 '' with then-wife Elizabeth Taylor . His best friend was showman/producer Mike Todd , who died in a plane crash in 1958 . Fisher's affair and subsequent marriage to Todd's famous widow caused a Show Business Scandal because he and his first wife, also famous, had a very public Divorce . In 1960, he was dropped by RCA Victor and briefly recorded on his own label, Ramrod Records . He later recorded for Dot Records . During this time, he had the first commercial recording of "Sunrise, Sunset" from " Fiddler On The Roof ." This technically counts as the biggest standard Fisher can claim credit for introducing, although it is rarely associated with him. He then returned to RCA and had a minor single hit in 1966 with the song ''Games That Lovers Play'', which became the title of his best selling album. (During the time Fisher was the most popular singer in America, in the mid 1950s, singles, rather than albums, were the primary recording medium.) His last album for RCA was an Al Jolson tribute, ''You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet''. He is not known to have made any recordings since 1969. Fisher has performed in top concert halls all over the United States and headlined in major Las Vegas showrooms. He has headlined at the Palace Theater in New York City as well as London's Palladium . Fisher has had five wives: Actress Debbie Reynolds (married 1955 -divorced 1959 ), actress Elizabeth Taylor (married 1959 -divorced 1964 ), actress Connie Stevens (married 1967 -divorced 1969 ), Terry Richard (married 1975 - divorced 1976 ) and Betty Lin (married 1993 ). Betty Lin died on April 15 , 2001 . Fisher is the father of two children by Reynolds, actress Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher, and he is the father of two children by Stevens, actress Joely Fisher and actress Tricia Leigh Fisher . In '' (ISBN 0060149078). He wrote another autobiography in 1999 titled '' Been There, Done That '' (ISBN 031220972X). The later book devotes little space to Fisher's singing career. When interviewed, Debbie Reynolds will characteristically say that she could understand being dumped "for the world's most beautiful woman (Taylor)." Taylor and Reynolds later resumed their friendship, and mocked Fisher in their TV movie These Old Broads , wherein their characters ridiculed the ex-husband they shared, named "Freddie." Fisher has two stars on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame , one for Recording, at 6241 Hollywood Boulevard, and one for TV, at 1724 Vine Street. HIT SONGS
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