I despair. No one knows who Ernie is anymore. They have never heard of Percy Dovetonsils. Even the net is little help in educating the masses who seem to rely on it and it alone. Google had nothing and Dogpile had next to nothing ( http://home.earthlink.net/~jlerew/eefms.html ). Please, Dopers, you are my last hope, please tell me someone out there knows of Ernie.
Don’t feel alone. I know who Ernie was. In the 80’s I remember catching a special about him on cable, and it featured clips of him as Percy Dovetonsils, Eugene, and the Narobi Trio. It looked like some pretty funny stuff, and I would actually like to see some more of his stuff; I wish someone would air it. In particular I remember a very expensive skit where he was a used car salesman, touting the features of some car. He pats the hood of the car with his hand, and the car fell right through the floor. I also remember him attaching a kaleidoscope to a TV camera to achieve weird optical effects, and a Eugene sketch where the floor of the set was slanted, but the camera was tilted to make it appear level.
Not to hijack the thread, but I also caught a special on cable in the 80’s about Lenny Bruce. It had a clip of him on some TV show talking about sniffing glue, and the network heads had no idea he was talking about getting high - they just thought he was talking silly, like sniffing pineapples or something. I hope people still remember Lenny also.
Sure I know who he was.
What generation are you bemoaning?
He was one of the bright lights of comedy. But a bad business man. Did you know his wife paid off all his debts after his death? that is why she was doing those cigar commercials.
Hey big spender!
You’re not alone. A few of us remember him and there’s a thread or two around. I know that I started one about the Nairobi Trio song last year. You can run a search and find it.
Feh—how do you think I feel? I’m the only one of MY generation who can quote entire Smith and Dale routines . . . Well, OK, maybe Ukulele Ike, can, too . . .
[li]The Kitchen Serenade (or something to that effect), with pots bubbling and eggs frying to a soundtrack.[/li][li]Opening a bottle of milk and having it stream up towards the ceiling, or horizontally across the screen.[/li][li]Three women getting ready for a date, shots of clothes thrown about, tears in stockings, and a no-show.[/li][li]The old-fashioned radio (or the ossiloscope) with the voice singing “Mack the Knife” in gutteral German.[/li]
PBS used to run these a lot. And there are several collections (one example) on VHS and DVD.
Eve, who is/are Smith and Dale?
I wasn’t alive when he was on teevee, but I’ve seen clips of The Nairobi Trio, one of my favourite bits of all time. I also remember seeing something about trying to pour milk, but the set (and camera) were tilted. The scene looked normal, but the milk wouldn’t pour straight.
Didn’t they use the Nairobi Trio music on an old Colt 45 beer commercial back in the late 60s/early 70s?
Not only do I remember him, but I saw him in person in Korea when he was touring with Ol Skinose. Bob Hope is still alive, but just barely. Was Ernie killed in a car accident? I don’t recall, but I think that was it.
I don’t know how old you are, but are you old enought to remember the Mad Russian? I forgot his real name, but he was on the Jack Benny radio show: How do you do?
Screechie—Smith & Dale were a wonderful vaudeville team of the 1910s–'20s. “The Sunshine Boys” was based on them. They both lived well into their 90s and did occasional reunions up till the 1970s.
How about those of us who were actually born after Ernie’s death. And yes, he was a terrible businessman, Edie Adams had mountains of debts after his senseless death. But my, goodness, what great commercials he put together for those damn cigars.
Yes, barb, I know the Mad Russian routines. I have a very broad eduaction 
I also know Your Show of Show and The Jack Benny Show :
Crook:“Your money or your life!”
Jack:"…I’m thinking it over."
But Ernie was something unique. Who else could have done a whole half hour program with out speaking one word and have stand as a classic even today. Sigh.
IIRC the Mad Russian was Max Gordon.
Yes, thank goodness for film! How nice to have those shows to be seen again.
Answer: Jack Benny. Well, he did say one word. And I’ve already said it.
He was a master of expression, demeanor, and posture. Note how he walked on the stage. What other comedian dared walked on the stage by himself. He could do it because he walked majestically.
Timing too.
Remember Jimmy Durante? Of course you do. He would exit saying, “Goodbye, Mrs. Calabash, whereever you are?” Do you know who Mrs. Calabash was?
I heard, but I can’t swear it’s true, that it was an owner of a restaurant in Calabash, NC. There is a Calabash, NC, where Calabash food first arose. In the event you are a Yankee and don’t know what that is, it is lightly breaded and fried food. Anyway, shortly afte I moved to Charleston, I drove to Calabash, and that’s what they told me there. I believe it.
It’s okay Yankee Blue, you’re not alone.
I remember his shows from my childhood.
I lusted after a collection of them in the PBS catalog a while back but didn’t have the $50 or $60 at the time, and now I can’t find them.
Screech, thanks for the link, but I hate, despise, and loathe “The best of” compilations. They’re never the bits I would choose. If anybody knows of a link where I could get the complete recordings I would be very grateful.
I’m usually better at finding thing on-line.
Oops…Apparently the PBS tapes were a “best of” collection too.
::hangs head in shame and shuffles off::
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Yankee Blue *
**
She who does not remember what happened before she was born (on or off television) remains a child forever.
Of course I know who Ernie Kovacs is. 500 fucking channels we have now and who is doing anything as interesting as he did?
The cool thing about him (and I think you can say this about some of the people in film when film was brand new) was he was playing around with the form itself. But then, conventions built up, and nobody plays anymore.