Showing posts with label you bet your life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label you bet your life. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
October 2: Happy Birthday, Groucho Marx
His childhood ambition was to be a doctor. And while it would be a pleasure to be treated by a sawbones with a greasepaint mustache and an ever-present cigar, we can all be grateful that Marx Groucho became one of the greatest American comedians of all-time.
Along with his brothers, Marx was--of course--a film star first and foremost, with television success coming later. But success was a three-legged stool in those days, composed of making it on the silver screen, the tube, and the airwaves.
Marx struggled to keep sponsors on his first few attempts, but succeeded spectacularly with You Bet Your Life. This was a showcase of Groucho's quick-witted ad-libbing, disguised as a quiz show. Groucho would exchange banter with folks pulled from the studio audience, a technique that would go on to become commonplace, practiced by countless talk show hosts.
Thanks for the memories, Groucho. And a happy birthday.
Friday, May 9, 2014
May 9: Happy Birthday, Mike Wallace
It was then on to broadcast journalism with an interview show called Night Beat. Mike Wallace radio life was concluding as he would go on to television super-stardom, with his claim to fame being 60 Minutes. Wallace died in 2012.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Phyllis Diller in Old Time Radio: You Bet Your Life
Phyllis Diller passed away at the age of 95 this week. Here is an old time radio episode starring Phyllis Diller (1917-2012) as a guest star contestant in the Jan 27, 1958 broadcast of Groucho Marx's You Bet Your Life. Diller was just starting in show business at the Blue Angel.
Here is the full old time radio episode:
(Phyllis Diller appears in the broadcast half way at around the 11 minute mark)
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