Gene Sheldon (February 1, 1908 – May 1, 1982) was an American film and television actor and musician. He is remembered as the mute servant Bernardo on Walt Disney's live-action TV series Zorro (1957-1959).
Baggy-trousered, banjo-strumming comedian who played small parts in US films and performed in pantomime in TV guest appearances.
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Inducted into the National Four String Banjo Hall of Fame in 2011.
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Although he had a lengthy career in show business, his greatest fame came during a period of only five years in which he worked for Walt Disney. Famous for his pantomime routines, he was cast by Disney as the mute sidekick/servant Bernardo on the hit television series "Zorro" (1957). This led to major roles in the Disney features "Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks With the Circus" (1960) and "Babes in Toyland" (1961).
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Howdy
1970
TV Movie
Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine
1963
TV Series
Babes in Toyland
1961
Roderigo
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1960-1961
TV Series
Bernardo
Zorro
1957-1961
TV Series
Bernardo
Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus
1960
Sam Treat
3 Ring Circus
1954
Puffo the Clown
Golden Girl
1951
Sam Jordan
So You Think You're Allergic
1945
Short
Chain Sneezer (uncredited)
The Dolly Sisters
1945
Professor Winnup
Where Do We Go from Here?
1945
Ali the Genie
Lucky to Me
1939
Hap Hazard
The Hidden Menace
1938
Peters
Television Talent
1937
Herbert Dingle
Roberta
1935
Banjo-Playing Wabash Indianian (uncredited)
Susie's Affairs
1934
Short
Slug the Banjo Player
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1962
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Babes in Toyland
1961
performer: "We Won't Be Happy Till We Get It", "Slowly He Sank To The Bottom of the Sea"
Roberta
1935
performer: "Let's Begin" 1933 - uncredited
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Saturday Night Revue
1953
TV Series
Himself
The Ed Sullivan Show
1949
TV Series
Himself
Cabaret
1939
TV Series
Himself
Starlight
1939
TV Series
Himself - Comedian
Johnny Carson Presents the Sun City Scandals '72
1972
TV Movie
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1971
TV Series
Himself
Changing Scene II
1970
TV Special
Himself
Die Rudi Carrell Show
1970
TV Series
Himself
The Joey Bishop Show
1967-1969
TV Series
Himself
The Hollywood Palace
1969
TV Series
Himself - Banjo Player / Pantomimist
The Kraft Music Hall
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Dean Martin Show
1966
TV Series
Himself
The Jack Paar Program
1963
TV Series
Himself
Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall
1956-1963
TV Series
Himself - Guest / Himself
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1961-1962
TV Series
Himself - Performer / Himself
The Jack Paar Tonight Show
1961
TV Series
Himself
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1960
TV Series
Himself
Disneyland '59
1959
TV Movie documentary
Bernardo
The George Gobel Show
1958
TV Series
Himself
The Jackie Gleason Show
1957
TV Series
Himself - Guest Banjo Pantomimist
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1954-1955
TV Series
Banjo Player / Himself / Himself - Comedian / ...
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Walt Disney Comedy and Magic Revue
1985
Video short
Roderigo
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1964-1969
TV Series
Roderigo / Sam Treat
Zorro, the Avenger
1959
Bernardo
The Sign of Zorro
1958
Bernardo
Known for movies
Zorro (1957-1961) as Bernardo
Babes in Toyland (1961) as Roderigo
Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) as Sam Treat
$10 Million
