From the AP:
TV's 'Laugh-in' comic Dick Martin dies at 86
By BOB THOMAS, Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES - Dick Martin, the zany half of the comedy team whose "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" took television by storm in the 1960s, making stars of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and creating such national catch-phrases as "Sock it to me!" has died. He was 86.
Martin, who went on to become one of television's busiest directors after splitting with Dan Rowan in the late 1970s, died Saturday night of respiratory complications at a hospital in Santa Monica, family spokesman Barry Greenberg said
...
RIP Dick Martin: part of the team whose firmly left-of-center show -- "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" -- helped change American culture by revolutionizing what kind of speed, pacing, topics and guests you could get away with on a teevee comedy.
8 comments:
That was a very cool show, I said as a child.
R.I.P.
Have fun at the party, Mr. Martin.
"Say Goodnight, Dick."
Loved that show, and since I was but a wee lad most of the humor no doubt flew right over my head.
"Goodnight Dick."
WhenI heard this news, I started imagining Dick on the same bus with Utah Phillips headed into the great beyond. I'll bet they are having an interesteing conversation.
Thanks for the memory, Dg,
I watched "Laugh In" in the Student Union when I was in college (way before most people had TV's in their dorm rooms) when the TV room was stuffed to the rafters with like-minded friends laughing their asses off at the in-crowd-left-wing humor and even Dick Nixon stopping by (trying to suck up as usual to the college-aged viewers) to say "Sock-it-to-ME! (And having no idea how it would be perceived.)
Great times!
Very sad to hear, but know he's rocking some other rooms higher up(?) now.
Suzan
Welcome to Pottersville
P.S. From the web:
Synopsis of Laugh-in '79
On January 22, 1968 a controversial show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in, found it's way into Prime-Time television. It's cast of virtually unknown comics, singers and actors performed material that amazingly made it past the censors.
Each week the voice of Gary Owens would introduce the special guests and the regular cast of players. Then Dan Rowan and Dick Martin would walk out, do a short comic monologue, and invite the viewing audience to "The Cocktail Party." Here the cast and guest star(s) would be dancing, and telling jokes. From there it would proceed to other skits, including: Ruth Ann (Lily Tomlin) a small child sitting in a rocking chair, The Farkel Family where the kids (including Simon and Gar Farkel) all looked like the man that lived next door, the old man and woman on the park bench, and The News (Past/Present/Future) introduced by the cast singing "Laugh-in Looks at the News." Each skit would be set apart by quick sets of one-liners. The show would always end with the "Joke Wall;" a wall where the cast would pop their heads out of doors and tell one-liners, and short jokes....this would continue as the credits began rolling. As this scene faded we would see the NBC symbol and hear a single pair of hands slowly clapping.
The show attempted a revival in 1979, but the show's timing was wrong. What was fun and controversial in the late 60s and early 70s just couldn't hold the attention of the viewing audience in the late 70s. Only one of the performers on the New Laugh-in became a large success, a young comic named Robin Williams.
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Stage/2125/
For your further enjoyment - great UTube segments!
Rowan & Martin Laugh In - Cocktail Party 2
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TbVVbNM7NfM&feature=related
Edith Ann not Ruth Ann
*raspberry*
Goldie Hawn is still gorgeous
A regularly used, guaranteed laugh line from their News of the Future:
"President Ronald Reagan..."
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