Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

Sandy Baron

The name may not ring too many bells today, but from the 1960s through the 1990s you just had to turn on your television or (hit up your local comedy record store) and you were sure to run into the work of Sandy Baron who rose from playing the Catskills "borscht belt", to improv and satirical shows (including the US version of "That Was The Week That Was), to becoming a fixture in Vegas, in movies, and on television talk and game shows. In 1984 Sandy was introduced to a new generation of fans with his a role in Broadway Danny Rose, Woody Allen's tribute to shtickmeisters (and struggling agents), then in the 1990s he had a juicy late-career triumph on Seinfeld as Jack Klompus who was a comic antagonist of Jerry's dad. As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows.

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We don't usually include other artists in an episode, but how can we fail to give you the whole Lou Rawls classic "A Natural Man" -- with lyrics courtesy of Sandy Baron. https://youtu.be/y9tS0loD3vQ?si=BkE-OA-wTpBUV701

Sandy had one shot at his own sitcom (Hey Landlord!) and it tanked after just one year. Being a great standup comic, Sandy was able to turn his pain to laughs in this routine from shortly after the cancellation. https://youtu.be/jdr0GcxAoQo?si=q-YB2UAcumQDJTdK

Woody Allen's Broadway Danny Rose was a love letter to the shtickmeisters of the past (and their sometimes hapless agents). Much of the story is told in flashback during a gathering of comics at the Carnegie Deli -- and Sandy was right in the middle of it. https://youtu.be/mXIM1JXWjm4?si=ZViQ3NSLjeJ4R3-g

Longtime fans were delighted when Sandy surfaced in the 1990s playing a pesky rival of Jerry Seinfeld's dad on the classic sitcom Seinfeld. Here are some of of the best "Jack Klompus" moments from the show. https://youtu.be/XLK1eqK2kEo?si=-9LZ0EwUQ1o4BDVw

Chris O'Dowd

OK, we're a day late but it's still a Happy St. Patrick's Day here at Laugh Tracks. And why wouldn't it be when we are featuring Irish comedy star of the small and big screen, Chris O'Dowd. From early roles in British tv, Chris got his breakout role on the classic British sitcom The IT Crowd playing Roy Trenneman, an information tech worker who is a master at avoiding work. The show's success launched Chris onto the big screen with a number of juicy supporting roles before he scored the role of Officer Nathan Rhodes in the 2011 blockbuster Bridesmaids -- a role that earned him a Screen Actor's Guild award. Chris remains busy with tv work, recently appearing in the lead role of Get Shorty, a comedy-drama loosely based on the 1990 book. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Chris gained wide fame in Britain with his role as Roy Trenneman a snarky and slacking information tech worker in The IT Crowd. https://youtu.be/wXEsldiW9Xg?si=V4dkLgceu75UJ0e-

For American audiences, Chris had his breakout role in 2011's smash hit Bridesmaids. Chris played Officer Nathan Rhodes, winning a Screen Actor's Guild award for his work. https://youtu.be/6rJdK0_3BL0?si=0cy6Xpmlhiu4CYUF

Recently Chris could be seen in Apple TV's Get Shorty, a loose adaptation of the 1990 book. https://youtu.be/U-3gjXz_HJk?si=obwykf_M_XQA2EKw

 

 

 

 

Ryan Stiles

Have an extra cup of coffee because you are going to need to be on your toes to keep up with this week's Legend, improv comedy superstar, as well as a a fine television actor, Ryan Stiles. Born in the US, Ryan was raised in Vancouver, BC and got his start doing standup and writing for the CBC when he was tapped for the British version of Whose Line is it Anyway. He was lured back to the US as a regular in the Drew Carey show, then what do you know -- Drew launches a US "Whose Line" with Ryan front and center in the cast. That show has also spawned successful improv tours by the cast which continue to this day. Ryan also had a long run as a regular on the Two and a Half Men sitcom, and in his spare time he founded and occasionally appears at an improv comedy theater and school in his home of Bellingham, Washington. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Ryan is known for improv but this is a fun bit -- produced by the Second City in a film noir fashion. https://youtu.be/CpSXAO-N_qQ?si=wB6qeA8Neyl0AGQB

Whose Line started in the UK and one of the fun games was Questions Only! (yes, you can speak only in questions). Here's the UK cast in action (also including Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood). https://youtu.be/JcDzy6IgIcg?si=9NZHEC3T8sLr0lFF

On the Drew Carey show, Ryan played Lewis Kinski, a buddy of Drew's, who was known for having the lamest pickup lines in town. Here's a few to avoid!https://youtu.be/mzIYmvhyyDk?si=JJ3231qEynqn-GvK

Ryan is a community-minded guy, living in Bellingham, Washington. After his Whose Line fame he set up an improv theater where he occasionally appears as in this parody of a late night talk show -- Bellingham T'nite! https://youtu.be/tEc0mBm1lRs?si=FYLKnVH6nkNabWxx

 

Joey Bishop

Grab your best duds, we're hopping in the Time Machine for Las Vegas in the 1950s to catch up with The Rat Pack -- or at least the comic relief -- in the form of Joey Bishop who was a presence in Vegas showrooms, in movies, and on television well into the 1980s. A product of the New York nightclub scene, where Frank Sinatra caught and liked his act, Joey was Frank's opener for years and when Sinatra took the helm of the Rat Pack, he brought Joey along for the ride. That association would end in the early 1960s, but Joey remained a celebrity and hosted his own ABC late night talk show in the mid-60s. A deadpan comic, Joey later became a frequent game show panelist, as well as a talk show guest host. Frank Sinatra's death in 1998 left Joey as the Rat Pack's "last man standing" -- as we always say, comedy keeps you young! Find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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In the late 1990s snarky record fans started discovering records with celebrities not known for their singing having at it nonetheless. Joey weighs in here with Your Cheatin' Heart from his 1968 album Joey Bishop Sings Country and Western. It even won an award from the Academy of Country Music. https://youtu.be/_ghzOy3X1uE?si=fDIdIQWd-E07JjX8

Here's a nice sample of Joey's standup comedy from an appearance on the Dinah Shore Show back in 1960, when the Rat Pack still ruled. https://youtu.be/VR2j8nDwNbs?si=PW8wboAyjoLHz55o

Joey's 1967 late night ABC talk show didn't last long, but it's a great period piece and a chance to see his co-host -- a very young Regis Philbin. The "Nehru jacket" bit we excerpted is in the first few minutes, but this whole clip is great including a visit from Sammy Davis Jr. https://youtu.be/sM7Fzz0qjuM?si=svjee052G_5QHU4A

As with so many 50s/60s starts, in the 1970s Joey found his footing as a reliable game show panelist -- here Joey plays a bit of the Match Game. His bit is about 12:15 in, but the whole thing is a blast of 1976 nostalgia. https://youtu.be/Ad7IENuxZZw?si=rn6_XdQ-2UWprQd8

Rose Marie

If we were playing television trivia and said "Sally Rogers" you would say "Rose Marie" -- this week's legend. But there was a whole lot more to Rose Marie than her role as a comedy writer on The Dick Van Dyke show. A child singing sensation, Rose Marie spent time on the vaudeville circuit, eventually making it to Broadway with a featured role in South Pacific. She frequently guested on early tv sitcoms before she landed the role of a lifetime and became part of television history along with Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam, Carl Reiner, and Richard Deacon. In particular, Rose Marie's Sally Rogers and Morey Amsterdam's Buddy Sorrell were fan favorites and appeared from time to time as a duo act. When Rose Marie died, Nell Scovell, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, said that Rose Marie's Sally Rogers was the "patron saint of female comedy writers." Not a bad way to be remembered! As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Rose Marie got her start as a child singing sensation (known as Baby Rose Marie) -- and here is one of her hits. https://youtu.be/XGBqxkqAvMk?si=4yB0AhtS2YppRZfW

Rose Marie landed a prime role in the Broadway production of Top Banana back in 1951 as well as the 1954 movie version. Here she is at a 1978 Johnny Mercer retrospective, singing her spotlight song from that show.https://youtu.be/NYWcwPMArXg?si=QyT0ebw4dZL_CC-2

Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam sometime reprised their Sally and Buddy act for live audiences including this fun spot on the Hollywood Palace. You even get Groucho Marx as the host. https://youtu.be/cQik0KEpgZY?si=Qn_SQ8hT2WHEZYIP

Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam appeared together in a sweet episode of Caroline in the City in 1996. (It also turned out to be one of Morey's final appearances).https://youtu.be/zMNHiXrGqDk?si=7VO-SABFUGUTK2An

Edgar Bergen

Take a wooden puppet, a guy who can't quite keep his lips from moving, and add impeccable comic timing and you just might come up with Edgar Bergen, often considered the premiere ventriloquist of the 20th century. With his "dummies" Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, Bergen was a hit in vaudeville, then on radio -- quite a feat for someone whose act generally requires the audience to see the artist. But Bergen's rapid verbal repartee with his puppets -- especially Charlie McCarthy -- captivated audiences and led to movie roles and tv appearances down the line. Bergen earned not one, not two, but three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to movies, radio, and television. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.

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Here's a nice long sample of Edgar and Charlie in action, from their 1950 Thanksgiving special. https://youtu.be/oJVrK408nyQ?si=-nhi_PPPvj9JfsBZ

Bergen's other comic foil was Mortimer Snerd -- as slow-witted as Charlie McCarthy is quick-witted. It led to fun, as in this bit with Bing Crosby.https://youtu.be/_8YBiWU5Ok4?si=o-Dum7JIiABl9hVk

In 1939 Bergen and Charlie starred in You Can't Cheat on Honest Man with WC Fields and Charlie wasted no time in annoying his co-star. https://fb.watch/xQv-XqQbRm/

Bergen and McCarthy made their final screen appearance in 1978's The Muppet Movie -- a fitting farewell to a master puppeteer. https://youtu.be/5EDVCevIB-Q?si=sh9Nhmus0fSxWQ-P

Adam Hills

Let's venture downunder to meet Adam Hills, a superb standup comedian and television presenter who has charmed Australians since the late 1980s with comedy that is sharp and playful -- and by the way, that often focuses on the fact that since birth he has been missing a foot. After starting as a radio host, Hills turned to standup and was a smash in Australia, the UK, and Canada. He became host of a popular Aussie game show in 20005, followed by a talk show. At the same time, Adam has become a star in the world of Paralympic sports both as a player (rugby) and a commentator. His sports journey has been covered in a fine documentary (Adam Hills: Take His Legs) and a memoir (Best Foot Forward). As always, find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

 

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Adam is a titan in the world of Paralympic sports as a participant (rugby), commentator, and advocate. Here's a fun recent interview (with comedy clips). https://youtu.be/74Ce7NH2C7o?si=NkrA4-MgK1m8l-3w

 

Adam is first and foremost a superb standup and this is a fun clip of him at work. https://youtu.be/NxpkgqBSOPY?si=BrurhBYHHTDawHIL

 

Adam continues as a top standup draw and this recent clip has a fun bit about the expectations of being an Aussie.https://youtu.be/z9xOIvVI1nw?si=rTQVdhQHh2oh5tJX

 

Will Rogers

Talk about political comedians and people are sure to mention Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, George Carlin and the like, but don't forget Will Rogers who blended sharp political points with homespun humor to become a huge star in the 1920s and 30s. From his beginnings as a vaudeville rope trick artist, Will developed patter that made his audience both laugh and think. When the Great Depression impoverished much of America he became a much more pointed commentator, especially about the inequality of rich and poor. In 1935 a tragic plane crash claimed Will's life, but his legacy lives on with a Broadway musical about his life, a one-man show starring James Whitmore as Will, and as the namesake for Route 66 -- The Will Rogers Highway -- proclaimed by Congress after his death. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Will's most famous line is "I never met a man I didn't like" and that became the title for a Tony Award-winning musical about his life. Here's the title song. https://youtu.be/UnyHX7LqIGM?si=Ub0gnCX_0nD1xYYZ

Will's weekly broadcasts were required listening in American households and Will was a master of the craft including this talk, recorded during the Depression. https://youtu.be/kyfvamwM4Yo?si=HliLiu6zp6yzUXJz

After the Great Depression impoverished much of the country Will became more overtly political, endorsing FDR in 1932 -- but not without a sharp line or two.https://youtu.be/sKxaqK2ggcA?si=Qmp4sUCRX4hS7M1e

Chris Farley

Each generation has their favorite SNL cast member and for those who started watching in the 1990s it wouldn't be surprising if Chris Farley topped their list. Chris' ability to match physical shtick with over the top characters was uncanny, whether Chris was doing a Chippendale's strip off with Patrick Swayze, extolling the superiority of Da' Bears, or ranting as Matt Foley, the world's most unlikely motivational speaker. A promising movie career (Tommy Boy, Black Sheep) had just begun when Chris followed his idol John Belushi (almost to the letter) and succumbed to an overdose at the age of 33. The death struck his cast members hard and they mourn him to this day with Adam Sandler providing a suitably goofy but thoughtful song about Chris when Adam hosted SNL in 2019. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows. And just make sure you don't end up living in a van down by the river!

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Chris' most enduring character is Matt Foley, a highly unlikely motivational speaker with a great payoff line about his living situation. https://youtu.be/Xv2VIEY9-A8?si=WkmITF4d-mXk3RUQ

Chris had a promising start in the movies and his debut pairing with David Spade in Tommy Boy is a gem. https://youtu.be/S2XvxDaIwCw?si=Flg7OXRuxMDWBy-H

Adam Sandler has a way with songs, and his tribute to Chris Farley from SNL in 1989 is one of his best -- funny and touching. https://youtu.be/25IOsvWPQGQ?si=OHOd0Y3WfwJN33Xd

Danny Thomas

One of the titans of early tv sitcoms, as well as a massively successful producer, singer, and philanthropist, Danny Thomas earned his stripes as a radio comedian (especially on The Bickersons) in the 1940s, then hosted his own radio variety show, then in the early 1950s jumped to television and began his classic show "Make Room for Daddy". After that, while Danny would continue to make tv and stage appearances (including a 1970's reboot called Make Room for Granddaddy), he also conquered the tv production world with shows including The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Mod Squad, and That Girl (starring real-life daughter Marlo Thomas). Closest to Danny's heart, though, was the word he did to establish the world-famous St. Jude Children's Medical Center, the result of a promise a young and struggling Danny made to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of lost causes. As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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A signature theme song was a must for early tv stars -- think of The Honeymooners -- and Danny Thomas was no exception with this fine jazz version of the Irish classic Danny Boy. https://youtu.be/rAMrzvqU2RQ?si=RutT59t7anfOh3_J

To get a feel for Danny's comedy style, here's a great full episode of Make Room for Daddy from season six, back before tv discovered the world was in color. https://youtu.be/sJjFeM9ZvbU?si=lGXBgUiHE9RvTDI_

Late in his career Danny would take the occasional guest spot, as he did in Happy Days in 1978. https://youtu.be/qWxNS202fV4?si=vZaFGX990ROP5vF0

As with may 1960s(ish) era tv stars, Danny was happy to be a pitchman when needed and this is a great example -- a Maxwell House Coffee ad. Sorry for the video quality, but enjoy the "Brady Bunch house" vibes of the set.https://youtu.be/sJjFeM9ZvbU?si=lGXBgUiHE9RvTDI_