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Burl Ives (June 14, 1909–April 14, 1995) was an Academy Award–winning actor, author, and renowned folk singer. After dropping out of school at an early age, he roamed the countryside looking for work as a singer. He eventually found work in New York City, both as a singer and an actor. After missing out on most of World War II, Ives began his career in film.

However, in the 1950s, Ives was branded as a Communist. To avoid blacklisting, and in an attempt to return to work, Ives named names to the House Committee on Un-American Activities, which earned him the ire of his colleagues. Nevertheless, Ives established a strong presence for himself on the screen, and was directed to an Academy Award by William Wyler for his work in The Big Country.

Ives was also known for his voice work. In 1964, he voiced Sam the Snowman in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and in 1984 he narrated John Korty's Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure. On passing in 1995 due to oral cancer, Ives was survived by his second wife, Dorothy, and his children.