Edward Vincent Bracken

Edward Vincent Bracken (February 7, 1915 – November 14, 2002)

Bracken became a Hollywood comedy legend with lead performances in the films Hail the Conquering Hero and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek both in 1944, and both have been preserved by the National Film Registry. During this era, he also had success on Broadway, with performances in plays like Too Many Girls (1939). Bracken's later movie roles include National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Oscar (1991), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), and Rookie of the Year (1993). He also appeared on Broadway in Shinbone Alley, Hello, Dolly!, The Odd Couple and Sugar Babies. His last appearance on Broadway was in the musical Dreamtime, directed by David Niles at the Ed Sullivan Theater at the age of 77. He was married from 1939 until his wife's death in August 2002. Bracken died three months later on November 14, 2002, he was 87 years old. His body was cremated, and the ashes scattered.