Saturday, September 12, 2009

It was TV's Golden Age.

Writer Larry Gelbart, who developed the hit television show "M*A*S*H" that uncovered a rich wellspring of comedy and pathos in war, died of cancer on Friday at age 81.

Gelbert got his start on Your Show of Shows, and early TV hit. It was a live 90 minute comedy variety show staring Sid Caesar. No cue cards were used.

In addition to Caesar, the show starred Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and Imogene Coca.

Your Show of Shows was also responsible for bringing together one of the best comedy writing teams in television history, including Lucille Kallen (the inspiration for Sally Rogers, played by Rose Marie on The Dick Van Dyke Show), Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Michael Stewart (Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!, 42d Street), and Larry Gelbart.

Spin-offs include: A TV show (
The Dick Van Dyke Show), a movie (My Favorite Year, produced by Mel Brooks), and a play (Laughter on the 23rd Floor, written by Neil Simon).

NBC destroyed the original
Kinescope recordings of the show but clips saved by the cast were made into a movie (Ten from Your Show of Shows) and a DVD (The Sid Caesar Collection).

1 comment:

moni said...

Way, way, back, I remember watching "Show of Shows"..Oh we're the men from Texaco, we work from Maine to Mexico..there's nothing like this Texaco of ours...etc.

I still know all the words, lol.