Topic: Say Goodnight Dick

[BeAStooge]

TV's "Laugh-in" comic Dick Martin dies in Calif
By BOB THOMAS,AP
Posted: 2008-05-24 23:41:36

LOS ANGELES (AP) - 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 Rowan in the late 1970s, died Saturday night of respiratory complications at a hospital in Santa Monica, family spokesman Barry Greenberg said.

"He had had some pretty severe respiratory problems for many years, and he had pretty much stopped breathing a week ago," Greenberg said.

Martin was surrounded by family and friends when he died just after 6 p.m., 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.

Quickies
[youtube=425,350]8iGvzmOoh3Y[/youtube]

The Joke Wall
[youtube=425,350]iZ8Vrvy0VeE[/youtube]

Bloopers and gag reel
[youtube=425,350]A5vRPPIWzhQ[/youtube]

[jrvass]

Goodnight Dick... You'll be missed.

James

[Dunrobin]

James beat me to it, but "Goodnight, Dick."  Laugh-In was one of my favorite shows as a kid.  We never missed an episode.

[BeAStooge]

A trailer for THE MALTESE BIPPY (1969), starring Dan Rowan, Dick Martin... and stock cameos by Laurel & Hardy, The Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello, and The Three Stooges.

[BeAStooge]

Dick Martin costarred in the first half of the first season (1962-1963), of THE LUCY SHOW, as Lucy Carmichael's next-door-neighbor and occasional boyfriend Harry.

Although Lucy & Desi divorced in 1960, THE LUCY SHOW launched in 1962 with Desi Arnaz as Executive Producer, and still President of Desilu.

Dick Martin was cast, intended to serve the "Ricky" function. But the role never developed beyond walk-on appearances, and episodes focused on the Lucy/Vivian [Vance] relationship. Late 1962, Desi sold his stock to Lucy, she became the President of Desilu, and new husband Gary Morton took over as the sitcom's Exec. Producer... Dick Martin's character was shortly dropped entirely.

Here's one of Dick Martin's LUCY episodes, prior to leaving the series...

"Lucy and Viv Put in a Shower"
Part 1
[youtube=425,350]UbEJdq1UJts[/youtube]
Part 2
[youtube=425,350]QdrblhEVaWw[/youtube]
Part 3
[youtube=425,350]4UL4VrqVWXE[/youtube]
Part 4
[youtube=425,350]iNiw8JcE0Hs[/youtube]
Part 5
[youtube=425,350]TRT74YyKCSw[/youtube]

[jrvass]

BeAStooge...

I remember seeing that as a child. Thanks.

James