(October 21, 1908-May 20, 1956)
Born in Tacoma, Washington
Birth name was Harry Skarbo
Became Harry Stewart after being adopted at age two
As Yogi Yorgesson recorded the singles 'Yingle Bells' and 'I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas' (both 1949)
Died in a car crash returning to Los Angeles after a show in Ely, Nevada

His Yogi Yorgesson character was originally a 'Swedish-Hindu mystic,' but he later abandoned the mysticism trappings and concentrated on ethnic humor.
He also recorded under the names Harry Kari (for Japanese ethnic humor), Klaus Hammerschmidt (German ethnic humor) and Claude Hopper (country bumpkin humor).
He did radio commercials for Bromo Seltzer and Lifebouy Soap.
He directed five episodes of the radio series Lassie but quit, complaining 'I'm tired of working for a dog that makes more money than I do.'

When he was two, his mother died in childbirth and his father put him up for adoption.
'I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas' and 'Yingle Bells' were both top 10 hits and became Dr. Demento Show holiday staples.
'I Yust Go Nuts' earned a gold record, which is particularly impressive since the RIAA did not start awarding gold discs until 1958, so the single had to rack up a million in sales a decade after its peak.

Credit: C. Fishel

http://aia.li/33856

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