Queer culture has been around for as long as there has been Hollywood. However, due to social pressures and the interests of the entertainment industry, past decade stars like Danny Kaye often had to keep their identities private. But was Danny Kaye gay or bi-sexual?
Danny Kaye was an acclaimed American actor, comedian, singer, and dancer. His performances ranged from physical comedy, rapid-fire novelty songs, and idiosyncratic pantomimes.
Danny Kaye’s profile summary
| Full name | David Daniel Kaminsky |
| Nickname | Danny Kaye |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 18th January 1911 |
| Date of death | 3rd March 1987 |
| Age at death | 76 years old as of 2023 |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Place of birth | Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
| Place of death | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed-race |
| Religion | Jewish |
| Height in feet | 5’ 11’’ |
| Height in centimetres | 180 |
| Weight in pounds | 165 |
| Weight in kilograms | 75 |
| Hair colour | Red |
| Eye colour | Green |
| Mother | Clara Kaminsky |
| Father | Jacob Kaminsky |
| Siblings | Two (Larry and Mac Kaminsky) |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Partner | Sylvia Fine |
| Children | Dena Kaye |
| School | Public School 149 in East New York Brooklyn and Thomas Jefferson High School |
| Profession | American actor, comedian, singer, and dancer |
| Cause of death | Heart failure, internal bleeding, and hepatitis C |
Who was Danny Kaye?
He was a talented personality in the American entertainment industry, wearing the hats of an actor, singer, comedian, and dancer. Danny was born on 18th January 1911 in New York City, United States, to Jacob and Clara Kaminsky.
His parents were Ukrainian-Jewish immigrants. He had two elder brothers, Larry and Mac Kaminsky. He attended Public School 149 in East New York, Brooklyn. Later, he enrolled at the Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn but never graduated.
What was Danny Kaye famous for?
Danny was famous for his successful film and music career. Also, he was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF in 1954. In 1986, he received the French Legion of Honour for his years of work with the organization.
His career highlights in film and TV, studio albums, soundtracks, spoken word, compilations, and singles are as follows:
Film and television shows
- Cupid Takes a Holiday
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- Hans Christian Andersen
- The Man from the Diners' Club
- The Madwoman of Chaillot
- The Secret Life of Danny Kaye
- The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes
- The Twilight Zone: "Paladin of the Lost Hour"
- Here Comes Peter Cottontail
Studio albums and soundtracks
- Danny Kaye
- Gilbert And Sullivan And Danny Kaye
- Danny Kaye Entertains
- Mommy, Gimme a Drinka Water
- The Five Pennies
- Hans Christian Andersen
- Knock on Wood
Spoken word and compilations
- Danny Kaye for Children
- Danny Kaye Tells 6 Stories from Faraway Places
- Selections from Irving Berlin's White Christmas
- The Best of Danny Kaye
- Two by Two
- The Very Best of Danny Kaye
Singles
- Bloop Bleep
- The Woody Woodpecker
- Black Strap Molasses
- Little Child
- Lullaby in Ragtime
- Wonderful Copenhagen
- I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts"
Wife and children
Who was Danny married to? The acclaimed American actor was married to Sylvia Fine, an American composer, lyricist, and producer. During her career, she won a Peabody Award and was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Emmy Awards.
Danny and Fine were raised in Brooklyn and lived a few blocks away from each other. However, they didn't meet until 1939 when they were working on an off-Broadway show where she was an auditioning pianist. Fine also discovered that Danny had worked for her father, a dentist.
While Danny was working in Florida, he proposed to Sylvia over the telephone. The couple tied the knot on 3rd January 1940 in Fort Lauderdale. Unfortunately, the union was short-lived after an alleged affair between Danny and renowned actress Eve Arden.
The couple separated in September 1947. Several months later, the two reunited and remained married until Danny’s demise in 1987. They were blessed with a daughter, Dena Kaye, born on 17th December 1947. Dena grew up to become a dentist.
Is Danny Kaye gay or bi-sexual?
So far, there hasn’t been evidence to prove whether he was gay or bi-sexual. Besides his sexuality, Danny Kaye's relationships were also part of the news, making major headlines in his era. He is alleged to date the following men and women:
- Laurence Olivier (1949 to 1950)
- Eve Arden (1946 to 1949)
- Shirley MacLaine
- Pat Kirkwood
- Princess Margaret (1957)
- Martha Hyer (1954)
- James Starbuck
- Jessie Matthews
- Tab Hunter
How did Danny Kaye die?
He succumbed to a heart attack on 3rd March 1987, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His death was caused by internal bleeding and complications from hepatitis C. In February 1983, he had undergone heart surgery, during which he contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion.
Danny Kaye’s fast facts
- Who was Danny Kaye? Danny Kaye was an American actor, comedian, singer, and dancer featured in physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs.
- Was Danny Kaye bi-sexual? Danny Kaye’s sexuality wasn’t revealed despite allegations that he was either gay or bi-sexual.
- What happened to Danny Kaye? Danny Kaye died of complications of heart failure, internal bleeding, and hepatitis C on 3rd March 1987 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
- Who was Danny Kaye married to? Danny Kaye married Sylvia Fine, an acclaimed American composer, lyricist, and producer.
- Why did Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine separate? Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine separated after an alleged affair between Danny and renowned actress Eve Arden. However, the couple reunited several months later and remained married until Danny’s demise in 1987.
- Did Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine work together? Danny Kaye and Fine worked at La Martinique, a New York City nightclub, with Danny as the performer and Sylvia as his accompanist. Also, most of Fine’s productions and compositions were performed by Danny.
- What happened to Danny Kaye’s body? Danny Kaye was cremated, and his ashes were interred in the foundation of a bench in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.
Final word
Was Danny Kaye gay or bi-sexual? Unfortunately, no evidence of Danny's sexuality has been published. The American actor was married to Sylvia Fine at his demise. However, he was alleged to have previously dated a few men and women.
Tuko.co.ke published an interesting article about Mingus Reedus. He is a well-known Danish-American model, entrepreneur, and social media influencer. He is also the son of Helena Christensen and Norman Reedus.
Mingus's mother is a model, a photographer, and a former beauty queen. On the other hand, his dad, Norman, is a famous American actor. His parents met through a mutual friend and were together for five years before they separated.
