Bart Leahy

June 20th, 2017

Bill Dana as astronaut Jos Jimnez on the Bill Dana Show, 1963. (Click for full view) Photo Credit: NBC Television

Comedian and comedy writer Bill Dana, who became famous through his Jos Jimnez character in the 1950s and 1960s, died June 15 at the age of 92. The Jimnez character, a stereotyped cowardly astronaut, was a favorite performer with television audiences and with the Original Seven Mercury astronauts.

A man of many talents, Danas official website described him as a successful writer, author, cartoonist, producer, director, recording artist, inventor, and stand-up comedian. Born William Szathmary, after serving as a combat infantryman in World War II, Dana turned to stand-up comedy and then TV comedy.

In1956, Dana appliedhis comedic talents to writing as well as performing, becoming a writer and then head writer for The Steve Allen Show, where his Jos Jimnez character came to life. Eventually, he got his own situation comedy show on NBC, which ran from 1963 to 1965.

Jos Jimnez oftenappeared in an interview format, taking questions from a straight-man interviewer who would ask him questions about his life as an astronaut. The Spanish-accented Jimnez would answer in fearful fashion about his fate. Danas approach to the space program provided comic relief during a tense and uncertain space race with the Soviet Union. He was a particular favorite of the United States first Mercury astronaut, Alan Shepard.

Adopted by all of the Mercury astronauts, Dana became part of space history when the first words spoken to Alan Shepard on his Freedom 7 flight were, O.K. Jos, youre on your way! Danaand his characterhave been included in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Dana also served on the board of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

In 1970, with ethnic humor drawing criticism, Dana stopped performing the character. Despite this cultural shift, the National Hispanic Media Coalition endorsed the Jos Jimnez character, invited Dana to sit on their advisory board, and gave him an image award in 1997.

Tagged: Bill Dana Comedian Lead Stories Project Mercury

Bart Leahy is a freelance technical writer living in Orlando, Florida. Leahy's diverse career has included work for The Walt Disney Company, NASA, the Department of Defense, Nissan, a number of commercial space companies, small businesses, nonprofits, as well as the Science Cheerleaders.

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Comedian Bill Dana, creator of 'Jos Jimnez', dead at 92 - SpaceFlight Insider