Bill Dana

Despite a successful career under his own name, the true legacy of actor/comedian Bill Dana remains Jose Jimenez, a character introduced on The Steve Allen Show that went on to become one of the most beloved comic creations of the era. Born William Szathmary in Quincy, MA, on October 5, 1924, Dana began his career as a writer after a severe back injury temporarily derailed his performing aspirations. After creating gags for the likes of George Gobel and Don Adams throughout the first half of the 1950s, in 1956 he joined the staff of The Steve Allen Show, where his backstage i...