Edgar Bergen

Edgar Bergen
Bergen with his ventriloquist dummies Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd in 1949
Born	Edgar John Berggren (1903-02-16)February 16, 1903 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 30, 1978(1978-09-30) (aged 75) Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
Resting place	Inglewood Park Cemetery
Occupations	Ventriloquist comedian actor vaudevillian radio performer
Years active	1919–1978
Spouse	Frances Westerman ​ (m. 1945)​
Children	2; including Candice

Edgar John Bergen (born Edgar John Berggren; February 16, 1903 – September 30, 1978) was an American ventriloquist, comedian, actor, vaudevillian and radio performer. He was best known for his characters Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Bergen pioneered modern-day ventriloquism and has been described by puppetry organization UNIMA as the “quintessential ventriloquist of the 20th century”.^[1] He was the father of actress Candice Bergen.