Posted on 11/27/2007 8:29:59 AM PST by EveningStar
Mel Tolkin, the long-suffering head of Sid Caesar’s celebrated television writing team, who was present from the cramped, sweaty, malodorous beginning, died yesterday at his home in Century City, Calif. He was 94...
As the lead writer for “Your Show of Shows” and its successor, “Caesar’s Hour,” Mr. Tolkin presided over a team that at one time or another included Mel Brooks, Lucille Kallen, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbart and Woody Allen. “Your Show of Shows,” starring Mr. Caesar and Imogene Coca, was broadcast on NBC from 1950 to 1954. A wellspring of American television comedy, the show endures to this day as a national treasure...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
In a show some years ago, a documentary of sorts about the Show of Shows, there was an anecdote about Sid et al sitting in a restaurant. Seems like Carl Reiner told the story? Anyway, Sid was dead drunk, and fell over facefirst into his soup bowl. Worried about tabloid “reporters”, the team started to pretend that it was just part of a creative session, and came up with a series of reasons why Sid might have put his face into his soup. ;’)
Sid in “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” is one of my all-time favorite portrayals.
We got our first TV in 1948. We lived in a Newark suburb and received all the broadcast channels.
With the first TV set in the neighborhood there wasn't an evening when we would be alone. Popcorn bearing neighbors would appear at our door to join in watching Uncle Miltie, Sid and his pals, Roy Rogers and Captain Video and his Rangers!(Captain video was basically my school chums).
It was 1956 and I was entering puberty. I was drawn to "The Mickey Mouse Club" and "American Bandstand". Most times Annette won!
Keeps me grinning even today. :)
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