Business is NOT picking up -- Louis Nye dies

Cafe Society
1

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051011/ap_en_tv/obit_nye;_ylt=ApyOCXiLlJunJJ7vvGuXmces0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3YXYwNDRrBHNlYwM3NjI-

2

Awwww!

I’m old enough to remember him from the old Steve Allen show as Gordon Hathaway (“Hi ho, Steverino!”). I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 at the time. He made me laugh as much as Tom Poston or Don Knotts, two other regulars on the show.

And I loved his Sonny Drysdale character on The Beverly Hillbillies!

3

I had no idea he was almost 50 when playing Sonny Drysdale (a character who I think was in his 30s).

One of my favorite Louis Nye memories was when the producers of St. Elsewhere managed to bring him, Tom Poston, Bill Dana and Steve Allen all onto the same episode (as fathers of regular characters) for a Man on the Street Reunion. (Don Knotts was the only one missing.)

4

I once met Steve Allen not long before he died. He was a crotchety old man dressed in terrible orange plaid polyester pants. He was one of the greatest disappointments I had in meeting a celebrity 1 on1. i grew up in New York and loved his show. I watched whenever I could convince my parents to let me stay up. I’d kind of idolized the man. Anyhow, the only subject on which we could get a conversation going was Louis Nye. We both agreed that he was a comedic genius.

Allen was trying to combine a book tour with playing at a local jazz club. It was pretty clear that he was exhausted and maybe already sick. He was also wearing a dreadful toupee. I wish I’d gotten a chance to talk with him when he was more willing to hold a conversation.

5

The obituary says he was 92. The imdb listing would make him 83. I wonder which is correct.

6

I just want to point out that if you look at Steve Allen’s ensemble:

Louis Nye
Tom Poston
Don Knotts
Dayton Allen
Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme (singers)
Gene Rayburn (announcer)

You’re talking about a lineup that isn’t too far behind the cast from Your Show of Shows for both pure talent and long-term staying power.

7

Most recently, Louis Nye was brilliantly playing Jeff Greene’s (Garlin) crotchety father in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on HBO. Another old great who is on that series is Shelly Berman, who is playing Larry David’s father.