Ernie Kovacs was more than just another comedian,he was television’s first significant video artist. He was also its first surrealist and its most daring and imaginative writer.
Ernie’s grave marker at Forest Lawn in Los Angeles
George Burns ( Nathan Birnbaum), was a comedian, actor, and writer whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio, and television along with his wife, Gracie Allen. George continued working until shortly before his death, in 1996 at the age of 100.
George Burns and Gracie Allen were the "first couple" of American comedy. From their early days in Vaudeville to the immensely popular "Burns & Allen" TV show, they continued working together until Gracie’s untimely death in 1964.The two had been married since 1926.
The Burns and Allen Show was on CBS-TV from 1950 through 1958.
The career of comedian Danny Thomas began on radio in the 1940’s
playing the brother-in-law Amos on The Bickersons with stars Don
Ameche and Francis Langford. Danny is best know for the TV sitcom
The Danny Thomas Show (Make Room for Daddy). It ran from 1953 to
1957 on ABC and on CBS from 1957 to 1964. Thomas is the founder
of ST. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He died on February 6,
1991 of heart failure.
Danny and his daughter Marlo Thomas pose with the statue of St.Jude
Jamie Foxx and co-star Garcelle Beauvais . The TV sitcom was
seen on the WB Network from 1996 to 2001. Jamie chose his
stage name as a tribute to comedian Redd Foxx, shown below.
Redd Foxx was a co-star on the NBC sitcom Sanford
and Son from 1972 to 1977.
“Elizabeth, I’m coming to join ya, honey!”
On February 28, 1949, a puppet show called TIME FOR BEANY
debuted on KTLA-TV in Los Angeles. It became a huge success
and went national on the Paramount Television Network (PTN)
from 1950 to 1955. The show was created by animator Bob
Clampett, who later made it into the animated series BEANY
AND CECIL. Principal voice actors were Daws Butler and
comedian Stan Freberg.
Main characters Beany Boy and Cecil, The Seasick Sea Serpent.
Daws Butler is pictured with puppet’s Captain Horatio Huffen Puff and Beany, while Stan Freberg, background, has Cecil and the caped
villian, Dishonest John. Butler later became the voice of Hanna-
Barbera’s animated characters Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw
and Huckle Berry Hound.
Daws Butler (1976) Recent pic of Stan Freberg
