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Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan’s lifelong love of comedy was kindled when they met more than 40 years ago in graduate school in Seattle. While managing family and professional work responsibilities, they hosted a one hour comedy radio program on Saturday mornings for 10 years on a small radio station in Olympia, WA and also co-authored two books on northwest popular culture – Seattle on Film (1995) and Wet and Wired (2000). Stuck at home during the early days of the pandemic with hundreds of comedy albums, cassettes and CD’s gathering dust on their shelves, they launched Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy in May 2020, a weekly mini-program featuring a different comedy icon, with biographical bits and a nice slice of the comedy that made them famous. From standup stars, to stellar sketch teams, to novelty music maestros -- they are all part of our Legends.
Episodes
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
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.
Want more Edgar Bergen?
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
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