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Joe E. Ross (March 15, 1914 – August 13, 1982) was an American actor known for his trademark "Ooh! Ooh!" exclamation, which he used in many of his roles. He starred in such TV sitcoms as The Phil Silvers Show and Car 54, Where Are You?. Ross was born Joseph Roszawikz to Jewish immigrant parents in New York, New York. He dropped out of Seward Park High School at the age of 16 to become a singing waiter at the Van Cortlandt Inn in the Bronx. When the cafe added a girl dancer and singer, Ross was promoted to announcer. He added some jokes and became a comedian. In 1938, he appeared at the... MORE

Joe E. Ross (March 15, 1914 – August 13, 1982) was an American actor known for his trademark "Ooh! Ooh!" exclamation, which he used in many of his roles. He starred in such TV sitcoms as The Phil Silvers Show and Car 54, Where Are You?. Ross was born Joseph Roszawikz to Jewish immigrant parents in New York, New York. He dropped out of Seward Park High School at the age of 16 to become a singing waiter at the Van Cortlandt Inn in the Bronx. When the cafe added a girl dancer and singer, Ross was promoted to announcer. He added some jokes and became a comedian. In 1938, he appeared at the Queens Terrace, near Jackson Heights, New York. Jackie Gleason had already been playing there for 16 weeks, and the manager was about to ask Gleason to stay a while longer. Ross heard of the opening, auditioned for it, got the contract, and also stayed 16 weeks. Ross then turned burlesque comic on the Schuster circuit out of Chicago. His career was interrupted by World War II. He served in the Army Air Corps at Camp Blanding, Florida, before being stationed in England. Discharged at the war's end, Ross became an announcer-comic at Billy Gray's Bandbox in Hollywood. He kept his ties to burlesque, and LESS