Monday, May 5, 2008
Norm Crosby's Comedy Shop with guest Jimmy Martinez (1978)
Jimmy Martinez is surely a face you'll recognize, although you may not be able to figure out from where. He popped up in a handful of Richard Pryor and Mel Brooks films in the seventies and then disapeared in the eighties, never to be seen again. He was one of the regulars at The Comedy Store in its fertile heyday along with Garry Shandling, Jimmy Walker, Jay Leno, David Letterman, David Brenner, Skip Stephenson, Gary Mule Deer and so many others. You also may have watched him on the final episode of The Richard Pryor Show on Pryor's roast here. Here he is on the syndicated program The Comedy Shop - the first television program devoted strictly to stand-up.
Hazel creator Ted Key dead at age 95
This past Saturday I posted an episode of the sitcom Hazel. Ironically, the creator of the character Hazel (as a Saturday Evening Post comic), passed away the same Saturday. Read an obit here.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Hullabaloo with guest hosts Jerry and Gary Lewis (1965)
This goes down in history as one of those incredibly awkward Jerry Lewis things, one of countless uncomfortable moments in his showbiz career. In 1965, Gary Lewis and The Playboys were a huge deal on the pop charts and Jerry Lewis' legendary insecurity did not seem able to cope with his son's success, regardless of the grandstanding about how "proud of him" he said he was. Here we see Jerry trying mercilessly to upstage his son throughout this episode of teen rock show Hullabaloo.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Rudy Ray Moore: Sweet Peter Jeeter (1977)
Here's another vile comedy record from The Human Tornado, Rudy Ray Moore, that was released - I think - in 1977. Totally profane, with a wonderful bed of funk music beneath his dirty ramble, this is another prize in the so-bad-it's-good pile. The great Steve Allen would probably not be pleased to be sharing a page with this LP. I've Got a Secret with host Steve Allen (1964)
The contestant on the left comes from "North Surrey, British Columbia, Canada." Not too far from where I'm sitting this very instance. I find it comical that he needed to specify which part of Surrey he's from.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Amazing Grace starring Moms Mabley (1974)
This film also featured legendary African-American showbiz figures Slappy White and Butterfly McQueen. It was written by Matt Robinson, one of the Gordons from Sesame Street and voice of Muppet Roosevelt Franklin. Hey, you know what? I uploaded a bunch of audio from Moms Mabley comedy records on Chess and Mercury for a seperate article last year - and you can listen to it in all its splendid glory here.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show with guest star Jack Benny (1953)
I don't care for these later laugh track epsiodes. It's posted here because of Benny alone.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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