Which famous American ventriloquist was the first person to build and patent the first artificial heart?

Paul Winchell (December 21, 1922 – June 24, 2005) was an American ventriloquist, comedian, actor, voice actor, humanitarian, and inventor, who voiced Tigger in the "Winnie the Pooh" franchise, Sam-I-Am and Guy-Am-I in "Green Eggs and Ham", Shun Gon the Chinese Cat in "The Aristocats", Boomer in "The Fox and the Hound", Gargamel from "The Smurfs", and Zummi Gummi in the first five seasons of Disney's "Adventures of the Gummi Bears".

Winchell's television career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. From 1950 to 1954, he hosted "The Paul Winchell Show", which also used two other titles during its prime time run on NBC: "The Speidel Show", and "What's My Name?". From 1965 to 1968, Winchell hosted the children's television series "Winchell-Mahoney Time".

For his work in television, Winchell was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Winchell as an inventor owned more than 30 patents in his lifetime. One of his ideas, a disposable razor, was disapproved on the basis it was considered ridiculous for people to buy razors to throw them away after a single-use. Ironically, that concept would soon become hugely popular. He was also the first person to build and patent the first artificial heart (US Patent #3097366 of 1963).