Around 1956, Eddie Fisher and his agent Lew Wasserman were discussing roles for Fisher's acting debut. A project being discussed at the time was "What Makes Sammy Run?" by Budd Schulberg and Stuart Schulberg. Fisher wanted to play aggressive producer Sammy Glick, "the ultimate Jewish hustler. I knew a lot of real Sammy Glicks and I felt confident that was a character I could play." Lew Wasserman decided that the character was too much of a classic negative Jewish stereotype and that it would be bad for Fisher to play it. So Fisher went in the complete opposite direction (in retrospect, perhaps too far) with then-wife Debbie Reynolds in the squeaky clean comedy that Fisher hated, Bundle of Joy (1956), a film made to capitalize on the birth of their daughter, future Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) "Princess Leia" Carrie Fisher. The Schulberg project "What Makes Sammy Run?" was eventually produced in two parts for
At the height of his popularity, during the 1950s, Fisher was, along with Perry Como and Elvis Presley, RCA Victor's top-selling pop vocalist. His many hits during this period, all well remembered, include: "Anytime" (his first big hit), "Oh, My Pa-Pa", "Wish You Were Here", "I Need You Now", "Dungaree Doll", "I'm Walking Behind You", "Heart", "Games That Lovers Play" and "Somebody Like You".
During an April 2007 "Entertainment Tonight" (1981) interview with Mary Hart, ex-wife Elizabeth Taylor revealed that she recently telephoned him and they spoke for the first time in over 40 years.
Ex-brother-in-law of John Megna.
Ex-father-in-law of Paul Simon.
Father-in-law of Christopher Duddy.
Father, with actress Debbie Reynolds, of actress Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher who was named after Michael Todd.
He is survived by six grandchildren.
He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6241 Hollywood Boulevard for Television at 1724 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
He was interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.
His manager was Bill Trowbridge.
In Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), he appeared uncredited as a street urchin begging for food from Catherine Holly, the character played by his wife at the time, Elizabeth Taylor.
In 1951, he was drafted into the United States Army where he was singing with the Army Band and touring bases overseas.
Left first wife Debbie Reynolds for second wife Elizabeth Taylor who was the widow of his close friend Michael Todd.
Received billing as 'Stage Manager' in the film All About Eve (1950), although his scenes were cut out of the film.
The first person to ever make a fan club for him was a then thirteen-year old Rona Barrett, who later became his life-long friend.
The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, according to Eddie, the family's surname was originally either Tisch or Fisch. Between Ellis Island and Philadelphia, it had become Americanized as Fisher.
When he declared bankruptcy in 1970 in San Juan, Puerto Rico he listed $916,300 in debts and $40,000 in assets in municipal bonds held by the Bank of America as security on a loan.