I became a fan of Ernie Kovacs. There was one hour-long show in which there was no speaking. Its opening scene was an overhead shot of a pair of tympani spotlighted on a darkened stage (like Lux Video Theater). The tympanist’s mallets poised high for a thunderous strike against the stark-white drum heads...instead of a sonorous boom, we heard a “plop” as we saw the mallets striking tympani filled with pancake batter.
Ernie Kovacs and the Nairobi Trio. And remember his moustached character, a mousy little guy. or his professorial one?
He was a “master” of the art.
I’ll also add in Jackie Carson, Shecky Green, Alan King, and those who came up in the 60’s with them. Anyone remember big Sheldon Leonard (Ed Sullivan Show), or Myron Cohen?
Alan King joke: He was a member of a large family and for years he thought that he was Chinese, not Jewish. When asked why, he said that his father forgot the names of some of his children after the fifth one so when he wanted something, he would call one and say, “Hey You”, get me my paper.
I don’t recall any of those listed in this discussion as ever having used cuss words to make their work funny before public audiences. They let their intelligent humor speak for itself.
Look at what we have now.