How did beloved comedian/pianist Jimmy Durante sign off every one of his shows?

James Francis "Jimmy" Durante (February 10, 1893 - January 29, 1980) was an American actor, comedian, singer, vaudevillian, and pianist. His distinctive gravelly speech, Lower East Side accent, comic language-butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and prominent nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s.

He referred to his noticeably prominent nose as "Da Schnozzola" and many of his jokes were based upon it.

Durante's first wife was Jean "Jeanne" Olson, whom he married on June 19, 1921. She was only 46 years old when she died unexpectedly on Valentine's Day in 1943.

Durante's radio and TV show was bracketed with two trademarks: His first big hit, "Inka Dinka Doo" as his opening theme, and the invariable signoff that became another familiar national catchphrase: "Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are."

For years no one knew who Mrs. Calabash was and Durante preferred to keep the mystery alive until 1966. In 1966 (broadcast on NBC's Monitor program), Durante finally revealed that it was indeed a tribute to his wife. While driving across the country, they stopped in a small town called Calabash, North Carolina whose name Jean had loved. "Mrs. Calabash" became his pet name for her, and he signed off his radio program with "Good night, Mrs. Calabash." He added "wherever you are" after the first year.

Jimmy died in Santa Monica, California at the age of 86 in 1980.