Biographie
George DeWitt was born on December 30, 1922, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His birth name was George Florentine. He was the second of four siblings: Evelyn, George, Jackie, and Rudy Florentine. His father, Joseph, served as a police sergeant with the Atlantic City Police Department. During the Great Depression, young DeWitt sang for tips on Atlantic City street corners. In high school, he worked as a singing waiter in local clubs.
DeWitt always felt destined for show business, driven by his dual passions for entertainment and aviation, excelling in both. He served as a pilot with the US Army Air Corps and later entertained troops on USO tours during World War II. Following the war, his nightclub and theater performances led him to become one of the first comedians to open for Frank Sinatra. In the 1950s, at the famed 500 Club in Atlantic City—where his brother Rudy was employed—DeWitt performed alongside the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr.). While Sammy Davis Jr. was impersonating Jack Benny onstage, DeWitt stepped out from the wings and delivered an ad-libbed impersonation of Jack Benny's valet, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, which reportedly caused Sinatra and Martin to laugh uncontrollably. This may have been the first instance of an African-American entertainer impersonating a white character while a white entertainer impersonated an African-American character. DeWitt's career continued to grow as he played larger venues and built an impressive resume. In September 1953, he appeared with Frank Sinatra and Bud and CeCe Robinson at Bill Miller's Riviera.
DeWitt was best known as the emcee of the popular TV show Name That Tune (1953), originally produced by Harry Salter. The show aired from 1953 to 1959 on NBC and CBS during prime time. While Red Benson and Bill Cullen were the initial hosts, DeWitt became the most recognized figure associated with the show, partly due to his singing ability, which Cullen lacked—a key element for the program's success. CBS canceled the series amid the quiz show scandals, although Name That Tune was less implicated than shows like Twenty-One (1956) or The $64,000 Question (1955). DeWitt also made various television guest appearances, including a rare spot on Frank Sinatra's variety show alongside The Three Stooges. In 1959, he appeared in the film A Hole in the Head with Sinatra. He hosted another short-lived TV program, Be Our Guest, during the 1960–1961 season, and appeared on series such as Hawaiian Eye (1959) and Surfside 6 (1960) between 1960 and 1962. Throughout the 1960s, he performed in clubs across New York City, Miami Beach, and the Catskills.
In the 1970s, DeWitt retired from the stage, focusing on ghostwriting for other comedians. He returned briefly in 1974 to appear with Dustin Hoffman in the film Lenny, which received multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress. George DeWitt passed away from a heart attack in 1979 in Miami, Florida. He is survived by his son, Jay Florentine, a telecommunications executive, from his marriage to actress Claire Kelly.
