Comedian, born in Santa Monica, California, USA. Styling himself after silent film greats, he studied acting and clowning. He brought his gravity-defying pantomimes to Broadway in 1981, inspiring a new generation of performance and new vaudeville artists.
Bill Irwin (born April 11, 1950, Santa Monica, California as William Irwin) is an American actor and clown noted for his contribution to the renaissance of American circus during the 1970s.
Irwin graduated from Oberlin College in 1973 with a degree in theater arts, and from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum &
In 1975, he helped found the Pickle Family Circus in San Francisco, California.
Stage
Irwin created a run of highly regarded stage shows that incorporated elements of clowning.
In 1996, Irwin performed with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps at the 1996 Summer Olympics, in a "band on the run" sequence where he played Dr. Hubert Peterson of the fictitious Federation of United Marching Associations of America.
Although Irwin is best known for his theatrical clown work, he has also been featured in a number of dramatic plays.
Film and television
Irwin's first featured film role was in 1980, in Robert Altman's Popeye starring Robin Williams.
He has appeared in over 20 films, in brief supporting roles.
His most notable television roles was as Enrico Ballati, "the Flying Man", on the television series Northern Exposure, and as Mr. Noodle in the Elmo's World segment of the PBS children's show Sesame Street.
He was also featured in music video for 1988's Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin (along with McFerrin and Robin Williams).
In 2006 Irwin played the solitary character Mr.Leeds in M.
Awards and honors
Irwin was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts Choreographer's Fellowship in 1981 and 1983.
In 2005 he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his appearance as George in the revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
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