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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.
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Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
This week we sample the comedy of Phil Proctor and Peter Bergman -- half of the legendary Firesign Theatre and a superb comedy duo in their own right. First appearing during a Firesign hiatus, Proctor and Bergman offered sketches that were shorter and tighter, though often connected over the course of an album. The boys also became a touring unit and were favorites on the college comedy scene during the 1970s. In 1977 Proctor and Bergman were in the Golden Dragon Chinese Restaurant in San Francisco while a gang-related mass shooting unfolded. Phil and Pete were unhurt, but their touring days were over. Fortunately for comedy fans there were more albums and videos still to come including a somewhat surreal turn as part of the cast of the Starland Vocal Band's summer replacement show. Yes, that's the "Aftenoon Delight" Starland Vocal Band. P&B continued with occasional projects, often during Firesign lulls, until Peter Bergman's death in 2012. Phil Proctor continues as a fine voice actor and writer. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Proctor and Bergman?
Proctor and Bergman were big enough to earn their own PBS Soundstage special. The opening is classic, first for the detailed instructions on how to hear the show in stereo, then in their sharp take on ubiquitous PBS pledge drives. https://youtu.be/z2sLQOjFpNw?si=yoFMlWR9DBaRrn7i
Proctor and Bergman's first album was TV or not TV, a fun parody of "Channel 85" as it winds through its broadcast day. https://youtu.be/xXwXFm8MEYo?si=f7Xe1jXikG_5XtOc
When P&B were announced as part of the cast for the Starland Vocal Band's summer replacement show Firesign fans wondered how they could fit in. Very well it turned out! https://youtu.be/JvxGFlZIa0A?si=WGoC1avGjx8tsEAi
Proctor and Bergman occasionally popped up on tv for promotional appearances such as as this fun bit from Chicago's Svengoolie tv horror movie show. https://youtu.be/GESCjcj8IrI?si=8k1NynqaXnOAQgX-
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