Marx, Groucho
benefits of tape editing for, 115
Black musicians backed by, 116
child act featuring, 8, 10
The Committee hated by, 243
on difficulty of following the Marx Brothers, 17
FBI on Communist leanings of, 115
on Fielding being fired, 116
on Harpo’s first time onstage, 16
LSD tried by, 244–245
on miserable vaudeville conditions, 3, 4
naming of, 17
Nixon hated by, 265–266
racism battled by, 10–11
Rickles criticized by, 154
as Tonight Show host, 206
You Bet Your Life, 115–116
Marx, Gummo, 17
Marx, Harpo
on army comedians, 39
on being blacklisted by Albee, 18
on being pelted in vaudeville, 8
on difficulty of following the Marx Brothers, 17
first time onstage, 16
naming of, 17
on racism, 11
Marx, Minnie (mother), 16, 17
Marx, Zeppo, 17, 39
Marx Brothers
Benny asked to join, 17
blacklisted by Albee, 18
Broadway act of, 17
difficulty for following acts, 17
high earnings of, 24
racism experienced by, 11
Six Mascots schoolroom act of, 10
in vaudeville, 10, 16–18, 24
Masada, Jamie, 308
Mason, Jackie
accused of flipping the bird on air, 209–210
assassination attempts on, 210
as aware of his reputation, 211
Comedy Store strike supported by, 307
disliked universally, 210
Matusow, Harvey, 118
May, Elaine
emulated by Woody Allen, 178
living with the Landesmans, 171
in the new Compass Players, 170
Nichols & May, 135, 157, 170
Roman directed by, 253
start in the Compass Players, 168, 169
strong character of, 169–170
May, Marty, 79
Mazursky, Paul, 162–163, 165–166, 171
McCann, Chuck, 157, 196–197, 316
McCawley, Jim, 321–322
McClure, Michael, 242
McCormick, Pat, 284, 287
McCrary, Tex, 125
McDevitt, Harry S., 67
McGurn, Machine Gun Jack, 54
Meader, Vaughn
First Family record by, 196, 197, 198
after JFK’s assassination, 200–201
Meara, Anne, 170
Meet Mr. Morgan, 49–50
Melody, Tom, 68
Meraska, Ron, 271
Merv Griffin Show, The, 257
Metrano, Art, 75, 91, 151
Michaels, Bob, 320
Michaels, Jackie, 74
Michaels, Lorne
on Berle, 313
at the Bohemian Embassy, 267–268
as Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour writer, 271–272
Canadian comedy created for CBC by, 269–270
Canadian writers trained by, 271
Carlin’s criticism of, 353
change from subversive to establishment, 267
Davidson special by, 273
drug use by, 272
Michaels, Lorne (continued)
editing learned by, 271
Flip Wilson special by, 273
Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour, The, 270–272
as Laugh-In writer, 269
as Lily writer, 272–273
name change from Lipowitz, 268
NBC late night slot and, 338–340, 341
pilot done for Ebersol by, 273
on the Russ Thompson Show, 268
on SNL after 9/11, 346–347
start on Laugh-In, 256
as writer for Diller, 268–269
Michaels, Marilyn, 74–75
Miles, Jackie, 39, 75, 100–101
Milland, Ray, 38
Miller, Dennis, 348–349
Miller, Joe, 156
Miller & Lyles, 22
Miner, Henry Clay, 7
Minsky, Morton, 6
Mitchum, Annette, 71
Mitchum, Robert, 71
Mob, the
agencies in the pocket of, 64–65
big business compared to, 234–235
in Chicago, 61–62
dangers to comedians from, 53–56, 57, 58, 63, 65–66
decline of supper clubs of, 235
Democrats in the pocket of, 61
Friars Club scammed by, 232–233
Joe E. Lewis beaten by, 53–55
Kefauver’s attack on, 60–62, 67, 138
move from speakeasies to nightclubs, 53, 62
move to Vegas by, 67, 138
nightclub ownership by, 53, 56, 60, 61, 62
other terms for, 56
performers’ union in pocket of, 64
“protection” payments to, 53
record company ties to, 194
Robert Kennedy’s attack on, 233
some comedians fond of, 56, 60, 66–67, 235–236
Steve Allen threatened by, 129–130
Mocerino, Gus. See Grecco, Vic
Moffitt, John, 112
Molinsky, Joan. See Rivers, Joan
Monteith, Kelly
on The Alan Hamel Show, 321
on Garrison’s poor editing, 287
on Jack Paar Tonight, 285–286
on meeting about Comedy Store pay, 306–307
on the Playboy Clubs, 214
Moondog, 282–283
Mooney, Paul, 231, 284, 307
Moore, Rudy “Ray,” 191
moralists. See also dirty talk
burlesque plagued by, 6, 67
nightclub performers attacked by, 67–68, 69, 70–71, 72
vaudeville’s chaste policy and, 1–2, 7
Morgan, Henry
Allen supported by, 52
banter with Stang, 50–51
cranky persona of, 49–50, 51, 52
Henry Morgan Show, The, 49, 52
Here’s Morgan, 50–51
Meet Mr. Morgan, 49–50
Paar criticized by, 133
Red Scare and, 117–118, 120
Morita, Pat, 214
Morris, Howard, 108, 110
Moss, Milt, 60
Mostel, Zero, 119
Motown, 221
Mule Deer, Gary
at the Comedy Store, 282–283
on the end of the Comedy Boom, 328
on An Evening at the Improv, 323–324
meeting with Steve Martin, 277
on the proliferation of cocaine, 315
Murphy, Eddie, 330–331
Murphy, Maureen, 322
Murry, Bill (African American), 221–222
musicians’ unions, Black and white, 116
Music Scene, 255
Mussolini, Benito, 37
Mussolini, Vitorrio, 37–38
Myerson, Alan, 241
Nazism, 36–38
NBC Writers Development Program, 122–123
Nelson, Craig T., 281–282
Newgold, Sam, 84
Newhart, Bob, 35, 178, 194–195
Newman, Laraine, 272–273
Newman, Rick, 304
New York nightclub comics
Amsterdam at the Playgoers Club, 83
Berle at the Carnival C
lub, 84
bridge from vaudeville by, 76
class system of hangouts, 84–88
influence on later comics, 78
Jean Carroll, 78–80
at Leon and Eddie’s “Celebrity Night,” 82–83
Martin & Lewis, 80–82
money earned by, 77
in presentation houses, 76–82
in smaller houses, 82–84
Nichols, Mike, 168, 169
Nichols & May, 135, 157, 170
Nicolucci, Guy, 345–346
nightclubs. See also Las Vegas; specific entertainers
Catskill resorts, 72, 73–75
Catskill roadhouses, 72, 73
class system of NYC comics’ hangouts, 84–88
comedy clubs compared to, 274
decline of supper clubs, 235, 276
gambling in, 58–59, 60, 62
insult comics in, 55–58, 69–70
Mob dangers to comedians, 53–56, 57, 58, 63, 65–66
Mob ownership of, 53, 56, 60, 61, 62
New York presentation houses, 76–84
one-nighters at, 60
performers attacked by moralists, 67–68, 69, 70–71, 72
in South Florida, 58–61
vaudeville compared to, 55
World War II’s impact on, 39
Nightlife, 237
Nixon, Richard
Cavett opposed by, 240–241
comedians targeted by, 265–267
on the First Family record, 198
Hope on plans to leave Vietnam by, 263
as Joey Bishop Show guest, 238
PBS cuts threatened by, 266
as target of comedians, 265–266
Noble, Edward, 50
Noble, Wendell, 128–129
Nord, Big Daddy, 160
Norman, Gene, 162, 165, 220
Norman, Harvey, 140
Norm Crosby’s Comedy Shop, 302–303
Novello, Don, 350
Nye, Louis, 130
O’Brien, Conan
backlash over Stewart’s firing and, 335
Late Night with Conan O’Brien, 338–342, 347
tipped off by his sister, 339
O’Brien, Jane, 339
obscenity. See dirty talk
O’Connor, Carroll, 288
Odenkirk, Bob, 337–338
O’Donnell, Rosie, 325
Onion, The, 348
On Location HBO specials, 299–301
Orben, Robert, 156, 216
organized crime. See Mob, the
Orlando, Tony, 296
Orpheum vaudeville circuit, 2
Ossman, David, 247
Otis, Johnny, 187, 292
Outfit, the. See Mob, the
Overton, Rick, 311, 316
Owens, Gary, 278
Paar, Jack
accomplishments of, 137
Carson as fill-in for, 135
CBS Morning Show, 133
contract with RKO, 132
exhaustion and complaints of, 135–136
Fay as inspiration for, 132
fights of, 134–135
on the First Family record, 198
guests book multiple times per month by, 134
gun carried by, 286
Henry Morgan’s influence on, 51
high ratings achieved by, 135
hired as Benny’s summer replacement, 132
infuriated by Woody Allen, 179
Jack Paar Program, The, 137
Jack Paar Show, The, 133, 179
Jack Paar Tonight, 285–286
on Letterman’s inevitable stardom, 317
merchandizing blitz for, 135
NBC criticized on-air by, 136
rants against “fairies” by, 286
return to Tonight Show, 137
Russell booked by, 189
sandwich named after, 87
on the Stage Delicatessen, 86–87
start as war comedian, 132
Steve Allen attacked by, 134–135
as Tonight Show host, 133–137
Tonight Show left by, 136–137
Tonight Show turned into talk show by, 132
unable to keep up with the times, 285–286
unusual character of, 134
on Weaver’s memo writing, 128
World War II camp shows by, 39
Pantages, Alexander, 3
Parkyakarkus, Nick, 41, 42, 43, 44–45
Paulsen, Pat, 250–251
payola, 192–193
Pearl, Minnie, 80
Pearson, Drew, 219
Peck, Edith, 5
Peeping Times, 298
Penner, Joe, 28–29, 42
Perilli, Frankie Ray, 158, 163, 227
Persky, Bill, 83
Phil Silvers Show, The, 101–105
Pips comedy club, 274, 275
Playboy Clubs. See also Hefner, Hugh
Burns & Carlin in, 176
creation of, 213–214
Gregory in, 214, 215–216
as savior for struggling comedians, 213
Woody Allen in, 180
young comedians helped by, 213, 214
Playgoers Club, 83
podcasts, 354–356
Podell, Jules, 63–64
Poehler, Amy, 342
Politically Incorrect, 349
Pomerantz, Hart
Canadian comedy created for CBC by, 269–270
Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour, The, 270–271
as Laugh-In writer, 269
Michaels’s name changed by, 268
on the Russ Thompson Show, 268
as writer for Diller, 268–269
Pope, Elaine, 312
Poston, Tom, 130
pot. See drug use
Pratt, Carroll, 113, 114
Preminger, Otto, 244, 245
Premise, The, 202–203
Presley, Elvis, 291
Prinze, Freddie, 285, 297, 300
Proctor, Phil, 247
Prohibition, Mob-owned nightclubs and, 53, 62
Provenza, Paul
on the Catskills in the ’80s, 313
McCawley defended by, 322–323
on the NBC late night slot, 338, 339
on Pips comedy club, 275
Pryor, Richard
assassination of King and, 220
Bruce idolized by, 228
comedy records by, 292–293
Comedy Store strike supported by, 307
dislike of catering to whites, 230
drug use by, 228, 272, 293
fired by Alladin Hotel, 230
as Flip Wilson Show writer, 289
Foxx’s influence on, 231
hated by Cosby, 229
honesty of, 290
on the Merv Griffin Show, 229
Richard Pryor Show, The, 301
television debut of, 228–229
transformation of, 230–231, 290
unpredictable behavior of, 229–230
Pully, B. S., 68–69
racism and racial stereotypes. See also anti-Semitism
Amos ’n’ Andy show, 31–33
blackface acts, 11, 31–33, 186
in Jack Benny, 34
in musicians’ unions, 116
Red Scare and, 116, 119
salaries of white versus Black comedians, 189
in vaudeville, 10–11
World War II and change in, 34
radio, 26–52. See also specific entertainers
advertising agencies’ control of, 46
Amos ’n�
� Andy show, 31–33
FM in the ’60s, 246–247, 248
Fred Allen Show, The, 46–48
giveaway shows, 48, 52
golden age of, 26
Henry Morgan Show, The, 49, 52
Here’s Morgan, 50–51
Jack Benny Program, The, 33–35
Kate Smith Hour, The, 30–31
marketing methods of, 28–29
Meet Mr. Morgan, 49–50
plummeting popularity in the ’50s, 166–167
Stan Freberg Show, The, 167–168
studio audience for, 30, 46–47
television compared to, 95
vaudeville ended by, 24–25, 26
Rafkin, Alan, 210, 291
Raft, George, 56
Raft, Tommy Moe, 89–90
Ragland, Rags, 57
Ramsen, Bobby
on Benny and Canada Dry, 33
on Bruce’s guts to go dirty, 88
on columns in New York, 86
in Miami Beach, 59
on the Playgoers Club, 83
on Podell, 63
on Ross’s death, 315–316
on Roy’s anger, 90–91
on Sullivan’s last-minute changes, 112
on wartime comics, 39
Rapp, Charlie, 74
Rapp, Philip, 26, 27, 28
Raskin, Carolyn, 256
Raye, Martha, 42, 59–60
record acts, 80
records, comedy
by Ajaye, 289
by Barth, 292
by Berman, 194
boom in the ’50s and ’60s, 190–191
Bruce’s live act versus, 158, 163
by Carlin, 258, 289
by Cosby, 224
by Dana, 194
on Dooto Records, 191–192
first by white stand-up, 192
First Family, The, 196–198, 200
first gold record, 194
by Foxx, 190, 191
by Henry, 194
JFK parodies, 196–198
Laff Records, 291–294
Mob ties to companies, 194
by Newhart, 194–195
obscenity raids on, 193
podcasts compared to, 354
by Pryor, 292–293
as risqué comedy outlet, 71, 72, 192, 193
by Rush, 246
by Sahl, 192
by Skillet & Leroy, 292
by Tomlin, 255
2000 Year Old Man routine, 196
by Warren, 192, 193
by Woodbury, 192
Red Channels, 117–118, 119
Redd Foxx Club, 220–221
Red Scare
blacklisted actors, 119
blacklisted writers, 118–119
blacklist supporters, 120–121
comedians affected by, 115
Groucho Marx and, 115–116
Henry Morgan and, 117–118, 120
Kirk’s vetting for Communists, 100
labor unions as targets of, 116, 118
Lou Costello and, 116–117
Lucille Ball and, 121–122
vetting racket, 118
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