Saturday, May 24, 2008

DICK MARTIN, 86

Co-host, with Dan Rowan, of "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In," a groundbreaking television show of the 1960s. The Associated Press reports:
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. ...

"Laugh-in," which debuted in January 1968, was unlike any comedy-variety show before it. Rather than relying on a series of tightly scripted song-and-dance segments, it offered up a steady, almost stream-of-consciousness run of non-sequitur jokes, political satire and madhouse antics from a cast of talented young actors and comedians that also included Ruth Buzzi, Arte Johnson, Henry Gibson, Jo Anne Worley and announcer Gary Owens.

Presiding over it all were Rowan and Martin, the veteran nightclub comics whose standup banter put their own distinct spin on the show.

Like all straight men, Rowan provided the voice of reason, striving to correct his partner's absurdities. Martin, meanwhile, was full of bogus, often risque theories about life, which he appeared to hold with unwavering certainty.
Sock it to me. Bet your sweet bippy. Say goodnight, Dick.

3 comments:

admin said...

As a kid, I caught "Laugh-In" in syndication and thought it was a howling good time.

Cowboy Yoda said...

Good night, Dick.

Desdinova said...

You know this reminds me of something my aunt once said. She was stuck in a portable outbuilding at Brokeback Mountain with an endangered polar bear and the tuba section of the MSU marching band. I thought what she said when she came out of that outbuilding would be of interest to you folks. She said, "Did you know Dick Martin was married to the chick that played Kelly in "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls?" Good night Cowboy Yoda, wherever you are?