Curiosidades

In addition to his talents as a stage, screen, radio and television actor, van Rooten was an accomplished artist and author of three sophisticated humor books: "Van Rooten's Book of Improbable Saints" (Viking, 1975); "The Floriculturist's Vade Mecum of Exotic and Recondite Plants, Shrubs and Grasses, and One Malignant Parasite" (Doubleday, 1973); and "Mots D'Heures: Gousses, Rames" (Viking, 1967). Of the three, "Mots D'Heures" is the most brilliant. In it, van Rooten uses actual French words and phrases which, when spoken aloud, become Gallic Mother Goose Rhymes.

Occasionally played on Broadway including Eugene O'Neill's "A Touch of the Poet" in 1958 and John Osborne's "Luther" in 1963.

He played a crooked fight promoter in "Champion" (1949) and later earned a greater degree of popularity in his role as Joe Palooka's manager in the TV series " The Joe Palooka Story" (1955)..

He played fight manager Knobby Walsh in the popular 50s TV series , "The Joe Palooka Story" (1955).