Biography of Tim Conway

Thomas Daniel “Tim” Conway was born on December 15, 1933 in Willoughby, Ohio, U.S., is an American comedian and actor, primarily known for his roles in sitcoms, films and television. Conway is best-known for his role as the inept second-in-command officer, Ensign Charles Parker, to Lt. Commander Quinton McHale (played by Ernest Borgnine), in the popular 1960s WWII sitcom McHale’s Navy, and for co-starring alongside Carol Burnett on The Carol Burnett Show.

Conway was born in Willoughby, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, and grew up in nearby Chagrin Falls. He attended Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, having majored in speech and radio. After graduating from Bowling Green State University, he joined the Army, following which he took a job answering mail for a Cleveland radio station, where he went on to become a writer in the promotional department. Conway later changed his first name to “Tim” to avoid confusion with actor Tom Conway.

Conway later moved back to Cleveland to work with the late television broadcasting legend Ernie Anderson on KYW-TV, an NBC affiliate, in 1958 and 1959 and later, from 1960 to 1962, on WJW TV, (then the CBS affiliate) on the weekday morning movie (under the Ernie’s Place banner) where he also wrote material for the comedic skits shown in between movie intermissions. Conway also recorded a comedy album with Anderson.

Conway has been married twice. He was married to Mary Anne Dalton from 1961 until 1978. They had six children together. He has been married to Charlene Fusco since May 18, 1984. Among Tim Conway’s children is the radio host Tim Conway Jr.

On June 6, 7 and 8, 2010, Tim came back to his hometown of Chagrin Falls to put on a fund-raising performance at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre to help kick off their capital campaign.

Tim is a spokesperson for the United Leukodystrophy Foundation.