Johnny Wayne

Johnny Wayne (born Louis Weingarten, also given as John Louis Weingarten; May 28, 1918 – July 18, 1990) was a Canadian comedian and comedy writer best known for his work as part of the comedy duo Wayne and Shuster alongside Frank Shuster (1916–2002).

Early life The son of a successful clothing manufacturer who spoke several languages, Charles Bryon Weingarten and mother Sarah, and the eldest of seven children, Johnny Wayne was born in downtown Toronto, in the College/Spadina area,

Starting with entertaining scouts, he and Shuster wrote some original scores and performed at the university's Hart House Follies. Wayne played to Shuster's straight man.

During World War II Wayne enlisted with the Canadian Army with Shuster, assigned to The Army Show (1942–1945), a troop entertainment unit like ENSA, including stage-performing soon after the Normandy landings of June 1944.

Following the war, they produced material for the Department of Veteran Affairs, before rejoining CBC Radio in 1946, producing 39 half-hour episodes a year, until 1953. In 1964 he recorded the song "Charlottetown", which he wrote and sang for the Canadian Confederation Centennial.

In 1999 the pair were given a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

Personal life and death Wayne was a curling enthusiast and was a commentator alongside Alex Trebek and Doug Maxwell during the 1968 CBC Curling Championship.

He married Beatrice Lokash in 1946. They were married until her death from cancer in 1980.

They were parents to three children,

Wayne died from brain cancer in 1990. He is buried at Holy Blossom Cemetery in his home town of Toronto.