On Jul 16, 2005, at 8:58 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I envy you that era. Did you by any chance ever cross paths with
Lord Buckley? (I don't remember what year he passed - sometime in
the 60's I think)
Yes, but my exposure to him was limited. There were some terrific
characters - Irwin Corey, the Nutty Professor was strange and
wonderful. He pretended to be forgetful and "out of it," but he was
smart, funny, and socially conscious (like Mort Sahl - but making fun
of Mort's intellectual and pontificating manner. I enjoyed Mort too,
of course.) There were many of these stand up commentator/comedians
working in jazz clubs, Dick Cavett, Woody Allen (whom I used to know
pretty well), Dick Gergory, Godfrey Cambridge, George Carlin, and
Richard Pryor, were some of the others. But the most bizarre and
memorable one was a German Dachau survivor called Brother Theodore
(Theodore Gottlieb) who's humor was murky and dark to the point of
being so morose that it became strangely very funny in its apparent
lack of humor. It's hard to describe, but I loved it. There's a web
site devoted to him,< http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/8135/
bio.html> so you can find a little about him, and he was one of the
narrators for R.O. Blechman's fantastic animated film of L'Histoire
du Soldat that Bob made with some of the money he earned doing
advertising animation. I don't know if that video is still
available, but anyone interested in seeing what kind of beauty and
thoughtful drama can be created in that form, without Pixar's
technology can look it up.
Enough on this OT topic from me today. Just intrigued that others
are interested in some of this arcane history.
Chuck
It also doesn't surprise me what you say about Lenny's
preparation. It's a misconception held about many "improvisors."
Ken
On Jul 16, 2005, at 8:30 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Now that is a cool thing to have on your "resume," Chuck. That's
great.
Ken
There are so many things to which I had access simply by being a part
of the jazz scene during the period when there still was one - before
the 60s revolution, when the baby boomers reached adolescence and
rejected the culture they had inherited from their parents - the good
things, as well as the bad. Lenny's act was not nearly so
spontaneous as he made it appear. It was well rehearsed, and always
well delivered, but it was also well thought out and varied little
from night to night.
One of the things that stands out in my faulty memory was his routine
about whether a bigoted white guy would rather consider marrying a
white woman or a black woman. He carried this on for a while and
then suggested Kate Smith and Lena Horne. (Please - no offense to
Kate Smith in my mind, but he made the juxtaposition funny in context
and his timing was great.)
Chuck
Remember Lenny Bruce's schtick on "What I don't understand is why
saying 'F%$# You' is a BAD thing??"
Ken
_
I certainly do. I spent 6 weeks working opposite him at the Village
Vanguard some (how many!?) years ago.
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Chuck Israels
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phone (360) 671-3402
fax (360) 676-6055
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_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Chuck Israels
230 North Garden Terrace
Bellingham, WA 98225-5836
phone (360) 671-3402
fax (360) 676-6055
www.chuckisraels.com
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