A legal challenge to his adoption of daughter CeCe late in life, on the grounds that he was too old to care for such a young child, was dismissed by a judge, who said, "I've heard this man sing 'Young at Heart.'"
According to the book, "Hollywood Trivia," (Greenwich House, 1984), by David P. Strauss, Jimmy Durante's famous "Mrs. Calabash" sign-off referred to his first wife, Jeanne Olson. Calabash was the name of a Chicago suburb they both liked.
Also made a living as a bandleader and talent booker.
Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 146-148. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387
Comic Sonny King, who worked with Durante during his career, stated in an interview that the mysterious "Mrs. Calabash" was indeed Jimmy's late wife Jeanne Olson, but "Calabash" was a reference to Calabasas, California, where she was hospitalized in her later years. She had difficulty in pronouncing the city name, often calling it "Calabash", and it became an inside joke for the Durantes.
Daughter Cecilia is a horseback-riding instructor, is married to a computer designer, lives near San Diego, and has two sons
Dropped out of school in the eighth grade and a couple of years later played ragtime piano for a living, taking jobs whereever he could, including bars, cabarets and whorehouses. He became known for a time as "Ragtime Jimmy."
Famous for a number of other beloved catch-phrases besides the "Mrs. Calabash" routine, including: "It's a castastrostroke!", "I'm mortified!" "Surrounded by assassins!", "Everybody wants ta get inta da act!, and "Hotch-cha-cha-cha-cha!".
For years he signed off his radio and TV shows with "Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are", but he would never divulge who she was. Some speculated it was a "code name" for a current or former lover, some doubted she ever existed. It was not until after his death in 1980 that it was revealed she was, indeed, a real person.
Has a street named after him on the east side of Las Vegas, Nevada.
He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 1600 Vine Street and for Radio at 1648 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
His voice was the inspiration for that of the dog in the Tom and Jerry cartoons.
In "Blondie Of The Follies" (1932) where he had a staring role, Marion Davies (Blondie) addresses Billy Dove's character as "Lurlene Callabash" . Jimmy often ended his TV, Radio and Night Club appearances with "Goodnight Mrs. Callabash wherever you are".
Interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, USA. Specific Interment Location: F, T96, 6.
On August 15,1958, for his charitable acts, Durante was awarded a huge 3ft. high brass loving cup by the Al Bahr Shriners Temple. The inscription was: "JIMMY DURANTE THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS COMEDIAN A loving cup to you Jimmy, Its' larger than your nose, but smaller than your heart Happiness always, Al Bahr Temple August 15, 1958".
Sang the famous 'Frosty The Snowman' song.