10 Facts About Ronny Graham

Ronny Graham was an American actor and theater director, composer, lyricist, and writer.

Ronny Graham made his Broadway debut in the revue New Faces of 1952, to which he contributed sketches and lyrics and in which he performed.

Ronny Graham won a Theatre World Award for his efforts.

Ronny Graham later made similar contributions to New Faces of 1956 and New Faces of 1962.

Ronny Graham wrote the lyrics for Bravo Giovanni, which garnered him a Tony Award nomination, and directed a string of unsuccessful plays, two of which closed on opening night, in the mid-1960s to early 1970s.

Ronny Graham co-wrote the screenplays for the Mel Brooks films To Be or Not to Be and Spaceballs, appearing onscreen as Sondheim in the former and the Minister in the latter.

Ronny Graham had a recurring role on Chico and the Man and made guest appearances on Murder She Wrote, Picket Fences, and Chicago Hope.

Ronny Graham was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Ronny Graham played the character who dropped the clapperboard repeatedly in a famous, 1969 Alka Selzer "Spicy Meatball" advertisement and played the part of "Mr Dirt" on a series of commercials for Mobil Oil in the 1970s.

Ronny Graham was married four times, to Jean Spitzbarth, with whom he had one child; actress Ellen Hanley, with whom he had two children; Sigyn Lund, with whom he had two children; and Pamela Gill, to whom he was married when he died of liver disease in Los Angeles.