Arthur William Matthew “Art” Carney (November 4 1918 – November 9 2003) was an Academy Award-winning American actor in film, stage, television and radio.

Brother of actor/director Fred Carney (I).

Father of actor Brian Carney.

He was the voice of "Red Lantern:The Fish Priminister" on "The Land Of The Lost" children's radio show, which also starred Mae Questel and Naomi Lewis. "The Land Of The Lost" was heard on The ABC Radio Network during the mid 1940s. Mr. Carney also performed on another TV puppet special with "The Bil & Cora Baird Puppets" - "Art Carney Meets The Sorcerer's Apprentice" on The ABC TV Network. The show aired in the early 1960s.

He was a voice-over regular on the popular 1930s radio series "Gangbusters" that featured weekly episodes based actual crime incidents. Each program ended with various descriptions of wanted criminals, many of whom were later arrested due to avid listener participation.

The voice of Red Lantern on radio's "Land of the Lost" was originally done by Junius Matthews, who did a lot of movies around that time, and this show overlapped with his schedule, so then it was taken over by Art Carney.

A CBS executive, struck by Carney's imitating ability, hired him as the voice of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Talked his way into a job with the Horace Heidt Orchestra and went on the road for more than three years, doing impersonations and novelty songs. Later did announcing for the "Pot O' Gold" radio show. Did bit parts on radio, specializing in roles that required dialects.

World War II veteran stationed in France as an infantryman.Wounded in leg by shrapnel and was hospitalized for nine months. He walked with a limp for the rest of his life.

Originated the role of Felix Unger (opposite Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison) in Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" on Broadway in 1965.

Won a talent contest in elementary school and another at A. B. Davis High School, in Mount Vernon, from which he graduated in 1936. Had only a high school education, no formal training and never took an acting class.

A wound in the leg while serving as a World War II infantryman left one leg slightly shorter and a noticeable limp for the rest of his life.

Won the Academy Award for playing the 72-year-old Harry in the sentimental film "Harry and Tonto." He was only 55 at the time but used makeup, grew a mustache, whitened his hair and stopped masking his limp.

Suffered a nervous breakdown over the end of his 25-year marriage to wife Jean due to his addictions to alcohol, amphetamines and barbiturates. After recovering fully in the 70s, he not only won an Oscar award but also his wife. They remarried.

He talked his way into a job with the popular Horace Heidt Orchestra and went on the road for more than three years, doing impressions, novelty songs, and some announcing for Heidt's "Pot o' Gold" radio show. In 1941, when the orchestra was asked to make a movie, Carney was handed a bit part. He also specialized in dialects.

Jackie Gleason once stated that Carney was 90% responsible for the success of "The Honeymooners."

He was such a talented voice artist that he sometimes substituted for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his famous "Fireside Chats" when Roosevelt was too ill to speak.

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 93-94. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

3 children, Brian, Eileen, and Paul.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1969 Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic) for Brian Friel (I)'s "Lovers."

The last words he ever spoke on-screen were "I'm outta here..." in the film Last Action Hero (1993).

Before playing Ed Norton on The Honeymooners, Carney played a cop who gets hit by a barrel of flour in the first "Honeymooners" sketch on The Jackie Gleason Show.

Beat out Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Albert Finney, and Al Pacino to win his first and only Best Actor Oscar for "Harry and Tonto."