# Who was this comedian? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 11, 2006, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974 "2006-02-11T06:57:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/1 "2006-02-11T06:57:25Z")
In the seventies (I’m pretty sure) there was a comedian whose schtick it was to perform lame magic tricks while “singing” the 1930 Broadway tune _Fine and Dandy_ (“daaa da da da, daaa da da da”). Can someone tell me who this was? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/2 "2006-02-11T07:45:38Z")
I’m not positive, but I think it was Avery Schreiber, sometime partner of Jack Burns in the duo of Burns & Schreiber. [Link](http://www.google.com/images?as_q=&svnum=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=Avery+Schreiber&as_oq=&as_eq=&imgsz=&as_filetype=&imgc=&as_sitesearch=&safe=off) ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/3 "2006-02-11T07:55:11Z")
Definitely not who you’re thinking of, but in the same vein: The Amazing Jonathan. He’d perform seemingly amazing (and sometimes not-so amazing) illusions, wow the audience for a minute, then give away how it’s done (in a comical manner). For example: tAJ: For my next trick, I’ll need a member of the audience, and a personal item. Yes, you ma’am. (Points at a woman in the second or third row. Woman tosses a watch to him. Pause.) This watch didn’t originally belong to you did it? Woman: No. tAJ: No, no it didn’t. It belonged to someone who passed away? W: Uh, yes (a little bewildered). tAJ: Did it belong to your father? W: (sort of trembling) Yes, yes it did. tAJ: Now…do you have any siblings? A brother maybe? W: Yes, I do. tAJ: And…and is your brother in the entertainment industry? W: Why yes, he does (even more bewildered) tAJ: Does he perform magic tricks? W: Yes… tAJ: Is he in this room now? W: Yes! tAJ: Is he on stage right now? W: YES! tAJ: SIS! Come up here! ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/4 "2006-02-11T09:09:36Z")
Tim Conway did that! On the Carol Burnett Show. I think Harvey Corman was involved too. That has been a family joke/ code for time wasters ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/5 "2006-02-11T10:12:00Z")
I don’t believe the guy I’m thinking of actually did real magic tricks; instead he would do dumb stuff like holding up two fingers on both hands, put them behind his back, and when he brought them back around again he’d hold them up and show no fingers up on one hand and four fingers up on the other – as though he’d magically moved two fingers from one hand to the other. He’d vocalize _Fine and Dandy_ in a kind of growling sound while performing these silly tricks. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/6 "2006-02-11T11:04:09Z")
Here ya go! Art Metrano…aka The Amazing Metrano. [Link](http://www.google.com/images?as_q=&svnum=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=Art+Metrano&as_oq=&as_eq=&imgsz=&as_filetype=&imgc=&as_sitesearch=&safe=off) ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/7 "2006-02-11T12:28:03Z")
I remember this guy too! Definitely NOT Avery Schreiber. This guy Art Metrano, I’m not sure. It was, like, 30 years ago but he doesn’t look familiar. I pretty sure I saw the guy on one of **Mark Wilson’s** magic specials that ran in the early 70s. He was sort of the comedy relief magic act. He did the thing with his fingers. He also did a bit where he’d put a hot assistant behind a curtain, then she’d hand her clothes out, and then he’d stick his head in and his “daaaa da dat da” would get exagerated, pretending he was seeing her naked. Then he’d open the curtain and she’d be gone. Then he’d go behind it, and eventually when the curtained opened on him he was dressed in a big rabbit suit! This sound familiar to anybody? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/8 "2006-02-11T14:10:56Z")
> [@Starving Artist](#): > > Here ya go! > > Art Metrano…aka The Amazing Metrano. > > [Link](http://www.google.com/images?as_q=&svnum=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=Art+Metrano&as_oq=&as_eq=&imgsz=&as_filetype=&imgc=&as_sitesearch=&safe=off) He’s the first one I thought of for the OP. He did some dramatic work, too, if I remember right. May be on IMDB as such. ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/9 "2006-02-11T16:09:17Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > He’s the first one I thought of for the OP. He did some dramatic work, too, if I remember right. May be on IMDB as such. I believe Art Metrano’s greatest fame came as the police chief in the original “Police Academy” movie. VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/10 "2006-02-11T16:11:23Z")
> [@Veuve\_ClicquotNJ](#): > > I believe Art Metrano’s greatest fame came as the police chief in the original “Police Academy” movie. > > VCNJ~ Here’s a link to his book - he apparently had a paralzying fall. [http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shadowlawnpress.com/celebrity/imagescelebrity/2twices.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shadowlawnpress.com/celebrity/2twice.html&h=309&w=211&sz=14&tbnid=HKvV7N19g\_GUyM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=76&hl=en&start=5&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2B%22Art%2BMetrano%22%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shadowlawnpress.com/celebrity/imagescelebrity/2twices.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shadowlawnpress.com/celebrity/2twice.html&h=309&w=211&sz=14&tbnid=HKvV7N19g_GUyM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=76&hl=en&start=5&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2B%2522Art%2BMetrano%2522%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG) VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/11 "2006-02-11T16:15:37Z")
> [@Veuve\_ClicquotNJ](#): > > I believe Art Metrano’s greatest fame came as the police chief in the original “Police Academy” movie. > > VCNJ~ Damn! Until I checked [his IMDB page](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0582586/bio) I had no idea how busy Metrano had been! I think the little blurb about his two finger trick should help clear up the mystery about which comedian the OP is after. Unless there’s still another one doing the same schtick. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/12 "2006-02-11T17:30:09Z")
It seems like Art Metrano is the guy I was thinking of. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-this-comedian/343974/13 "2006-02-11T22:58:19Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Damn! Until I checked [his IMDB page](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0582586/bio) I had no idea how busy Metrano had been! I think the little blurb about his two finger trick should help clear up the mystery about which comedian the OP is after. Unless there’s still another one doing the same schtick. There is one now! “The Amazing Handsomeharry!”