Entertainer. Born Louis Finkelstein in Brooklyn, he first won fame as a soft-shoe dancer in vaudeville and by 1921 was headlining at New York's Palace Theatre. In 1923 he hooked up with comedian Jimmy Durante and singer Eddie Jackson to form the musical comedy team Clayton, Jackson & Durante, and together they opened the Club Durant in Manhattan as a performing venue. It was one of the hottest speakeasies in town until it was shut down by the vice squad in 1926. The trio then took their show on the road and crossed over to Broadway with featured appearances in the revues "Show Girl" (1929) and "The New Yorkers" (1930). Part of their act was captured in the film "Roadhouse Nights" (1930). Although the three were inseparable as friends, onstage Durante was clearly the star and when MGM came calling with a movie deal it was for "The Great Schnozzola" alone. Clayton stayed on as his manager and proved a very good one, successfully guiding Durante's solo career through films, theatre, radio, and early television. The partnership ended only with Clayton's death from cancer at 60.
Entertainer. Born Louis Finkelstein in Brooklyn, he first won fame as a soft-shoe dancer in vaudeville and by 1921 was headlining at New York's Palace Theatre. In 1923 he hooked up with comedian Jimmy Durante and singer Eddie Jackson to form the musical comedy team Clayton, Jackson & Durante, and together they opened the Club Durant in Manhattan as a performing venue. It was one of the hottest speakeasies in town until it was shut down by the vice squad in 1926. The trio then took their show on the road and crossed over to Broadway with featured appearances in the revues "Show Girl" (1929) and "The New Yorkers" (1930). Part of their act was captured in the film "Roadhouse Nights" (1930). Although the three were inseparable as friends, onstage Durante was clearly the star and when MGM came calling with a movie deal it was for "The Great Schnozzola" alone. Clayton stayed on as his manager and proved a very good one, successfully guiding Durante's solo career through films, theatre, radio, and early television. The partnership ended only with Clayton's death from cancer at 60.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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