Ed Gardner (born Edward Poggenberg; June 29, 1901 – August 17, 1963) was an American comic actor, writer and director, best remembered as the creator and star of the radio's popular Duffy's Tavern comedy series.

Regulars in the tavern included Duffy's airheaded, man-crazy daughter, droll waiter Eddie, barfly Finnegan and Clancy the cop.

He was notorious for hiring as a writer anyone who sounded funny to him in passing, but Gardner ultimately had the final say on each show's script.

In 1949, hoping to be able to take advantage of Puerto Rico's income-tax-free status for future media ventures, Gardner moved his radio show there, but it was not as successful as it was when it originated from Hollywood, California.

Gardner invited humorist F. Chase Taylor, radio's "Col. Stoopnagle," to write scripts and make appearances on the show during its Puerto Rico period.

Gardner also tried bringing Duffy's Tavern to television in 1954, starring himself alongside comedians Jimmy Conlin and Alan Reed.

Despite solid production values (with filming at the Hal Roach studio in Hollywood) and the presence of familiar character actors, the series ran for only one year, yielding 38 half-hour episodes.

[3] By 1958, the tall, gangling comedian was semi-retired, living with his wife and sons in Beverly Hills and making only occasional guest appearances, such as a few turns on Alfred Hitchcock Presents in 1961 and 1962.

On August 17, 1963, Gardner died at age 62 of a liver ailment at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.