Richard Burton Impression by Frank Gorshin

[sirtinycreep]

LOL, classic|

[hazelwitchhazel]

I just found out that Frank voiced the character Sir 1023 in the Rankin & Bass Rudolph's Shiny New Year. I wonder if Frank was channeling Burton while he during the voice overs. It sure sounds like it! :-)

[Andyfreedom1]

Poor Sammy, always laughs too hard. Had to work really hard to convince people he was having a great time.

[22Bluebells]

My belly hurts because I laugh so hard watching clips from the Celebrity Roasts. Why can't TV be like that again??

[revgen123]

Frank was the best and funniest impersonator

[LieutenantShweinHund]

How did folk get their teeth so snowy-white in those days?

[MOGGS1942]

Gorshin was a really talented man,and a top class impressionist.

[playgirlc]

i might be naive bco i dont know how "brillo pad with legs" is racist... i thought he was probably referring to SDJ's hair....

[Kimindigo]

/dyslexic).look how hes look alike kirk douglas..thats becuase there are 13 bloodline families that rules the world,,and they call themself the illuminati..they are a big happy family,,and we are their slave sheeples.you think they love us.truth is that they rather see your ass killed in wars,or that you are poor and live in ignorance and fear.this reptiles are like mafia.illuminati are the real terrorists of this world.tv is mind control brainwashing.its not for entertain.but for brainwashing..

[TheHelixSpirit]

@Kimindigo Did you know that the illuminatti can never go to Heaven! The Illuminatti have no real identification and see through many human eyes. They're almost like us before religion before we had brains and hearts. If man sold his humanity he would be reptile. It's a tough life without humor and en even tougher one without our lives design. Don't hunger poison because it is the light of god.

[lisduggan64]

@TheHelixSpirit some laugh this YT --- even on this shit comedy clip someone is going on a bout gods and religion....ye Americans have too much time on yer hands

[wannawatchu66]

Uh, douglasjmontgomery:

MattisseWH didn't call you "whiney;" I did. He was simply quoting me because he agreed with what I said. If you don't like being described as "whining," then don't appear to be "whining." Now it's my turn to quote Mattisse:

"You seem quite uptight for someone to be watching comedy videos. Maybe you should stick to documentaries and news reports."

A thousand amens to that, MattisseWH.

[capatga]

Sammy thought it was funny ,you can see him repeat what Frank said , They were really poking fun at racist people back then , these guys were classy and smart ,its ignorance that breeds hatred , they took the time to learn and appreciate other cultures instead of blaming a whole race of people for what some did ,what a great experience for all

[TenderTrap86]

he is freakishly good at doing impressions.

[Calburtonreid]

sounds just like rich burton!

[OldWorldAmerican]

That was amazing, spot on!

[rerite2]

These guys and gal (Diller) could laugh at each other and themselves.

[BoxerGymSneakers]

Dean Martin Celebrity Roast of Dean Martin

Aired: Feb. 27, 1976

[Eldomina22]

this must be an old video, people still had the ability to laugh at themselves

[Burnsengine]

haha - I got to have a blade, man!

bwahahahaha!

Good job doing Burton - just like him! A little overdone, of course, but nonetheless, good!

[1johncain]

damn...I'd heard F.G. did impressions, but I'd never actually seen them...he's REALLY good!

[jerzeefranky3475]

i think he & arsenio had an impressionist duel a few years b4 he died...where he OWN'D arsenio's ass...does any1 know if its on YT?...

[wannawatchu66]

To douglasjmontgomery:

Do you not know what a "roast" is? If you'd watched these in the 70s, you'd know that the "honoree" had the last word at the end of the roast, when he or she would get up and lambaste the hell out of everyone on the dais, giving what he/she'd gotten all hour long. Sammy was a colleague and friend of theirs, for God's sake.

Whining thought cops like you are why we have to come to YouTube to see this kind of comedy.

[douglasjmontgomery]

Does Sammy get to retort and call the white performers names? Or did he still have to leave by a separate entrance, and mind his P's and Q's in front of his 'betters' in case he ended up hanging like Strange Fruit?

How do us white folks know Sammy wasn't offended? its not like anyone would have listened to him if he was - he'd have been accused of having a chip on his shoulder if he had complained.

[TheKenfig]

@douglasjmontgomery 'Racism' was INVENTED, relatively. There was a time no one gave a fuck UNTIL they were TOLD by Political Correctness that all sorts of things were 'racist' which weren't and then people get paranoid about it

[TheBlueyedblond]

@douglasjmontgomery Come on....it's COMEDY for goodness sakes? Redd Foxx called whites "honkeys" in his comedy routine back then and no one got offended. People of all races were mocked on the Dean Martin roast...it was for laughs. Lighten up.....

[MattisseWH]

@douglasjmontgomery Im copying this because u need 2 read it "To douglasjmontgomery:Do you not know what a "roast" is? If youd watched these in the 70s, youd know that the "honoree" had the last word at the end of the roast, when he or she would get up and lambaste the hell out of everyone on the dais, giving what he/shed gotten all hour long. Sammy was a colleague and friend of theirs, for Gods sake.

Whining thought cops like you are why we have to come to YouTube to see this kind of comedy."

[douglasjmontgomery]

@MattisseWH I don't need you to educate me about the 'good old days' when Sammy Davis had to use a different hotel from the guys sitting round him. Friends and family of mine find this offensive. I don't agree with white people telling black people what they should and shouldn't feel when the butt of a joke. And, you're not entitled to call me whiney unless we stand face to face.

Do you lot wear pointy white hats by any chance?

[MattisseWH]

@douglasjmontgomery So you're saying you don't know what a roast is... Why would Sammy even show up to things like this if he found them offensive? Why would he laugh? Why does anyone laugh when jokes are made about them? Because they realize it's humour. I'm not saying segregation is funny or right, but this video has literally nothing to do with that. It's a group of friends ragging on another friend. You decided to make it a race issue. Take the stick out of your ass and laugh for a change.

[douglasjmontgomery]

@MattisseWH Sammy couldn't have complained because of the very attitude you're exhibiting now - he sat and played along because - the cultural power base was white biased and he'd have been accused of being 'uppity'. Did you hear about Mohamed Ali's attempt to get a cup of coffee the day after he won an Olympic medal for the USA? The cafe wouldn't serve him in the white's only section - he threw his medal into the sea. This was in the same 'Golden Era'.

Get the log out of your own arse.

[MattisseWH]

@douglasjmontgomery Oooohh, sorry I didn't realize you had seen into Sammy Davis' psyche and understood completely how he felt by watching him for several seconds in a Youtube video. Don't bother giving me a list of "all the people" you know who went through this time period because everybody is different. You really think Sammy went to the show commemorating him, laughed, hugged his friends, and made jokes himself, all to play along? Seems like sometimes people only see what they want to see...

[douglasjmontgomery]

@MattisseWH ... my initial comment was more a response to the tone of commentary on here - everyone whining about Political correctness. They just wish it was 1973 again and that they didn't have the balding head and beer gut. Some things are better today and some worse. In the UK in the 70s you could call black people all sorts of names on TV and WE thought it fine cos it wasn't us who'd been slaves, then segregated, then just thought of as inferior, and then finally merely tolerated.

[MattisseWH]

@douglasjmontgomery You may be taking the comments on here either too seriously, or literally. I can kinda get you mean about the tone of commentary, however it seems people are speaking more about the restrictions of words and censorship as opposed to full blown racism and segregation. Those who are saying actual derogatory statements are probably just trolls. You seem quite uptight for someone to be watching comedy videos. Maybe you should stick to documentaries and news reports.

[douglasjmontgomery]

@MattisseWH ok, ok, I can't read Sammy's mind... but neither can you. To me, he looked uncomfortable. But then I wasn't in the culturally subordinate position at a time when it was still common for white's to assume black people were genetically inferior. So yeah, its only a guess. WhatI do know is that its only now, forty years later, that black friends feel entitled to admit things like; "you know, I never did like even being referred to as a 'negro' ". You can have the last say...

[wolfkarel]

@douglasjmontgomery god another pee-wit! When does it end?!......if you WATCH THE VIDEO.....Sammy is crackin' a gasket ...... he loved these people and they loved him....... you need to get a real clue buddy. There is no comedy like this now....... and sadly probably never will be again.

[lisduggan64]

@wolfkarel good. It's schmaltzy schlock.

[douglasjmontgomery]

@MattisseWH I don't need you to educate me about the 'good old days' when Sammy Davis had to use a different hotel from the guys sitting round him. Friends and family of mine find this offensive. I don't agree with white people telling black people what they should and shouldn't feel when the butt of a joke. And, you're not entitled to call me whiney unless we stand face to face.

Do you lot wear pointy white hats by any chance?

[wolfkarel]

@douglasjmontgomery Wow! There really are still pee-wits in this world.....hmmm.

[ImOfNope]

So it was in full fun huh use2slam2? 'Well then you cracker mother fucker'. Now wasn't that fun?!!

[swans1997]

Gorshin, was one of the most dead on and FUNNIEST impressionists I've ever seen, so far. Gee I miss that guy.

[kronoscorvinus]

Sad part is, Richard Burton seemed to be doing an imitation of Richard Burton towards the end. Gorshin's Cagney was the best I've ever heard, though.

[mrochon121]

Does anybody remember as Bele from classic star trek?

[mannyh1331]

If you want to see Frank Gorshin do really funny impressions check out The Ed Sullivan Show featuring "The Beatles". He does many celebrities of the '50's and '60's.

[blancmel21]

"The Riddler" > P.C. ... Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself.

[vicdeakin]

If I 'eard that impression I'd open 'im out... Cos I'm Vic Dakin.  Sawhdid, sawhdid.

[jacksblack1]

Little children. We are on the internet. What I am about to tell you, you can google it to see I am right. For the guy that says that the problem with TV and everything now is that Corporations have taken over and have no talent and on and on. Well, TV came about by the corporations as a way of advertisement. That is how it began. GEEZ. However, this was a different country back then and people were mostly raised in 2 parent homes and people got their ass kicked if they needed it.

[mphrdldn]

These perpetually-laughing roasters look pretty stoned.

[stuart38]

what year was this?

[stuart38]

frank gorshin was the riddler in batman,but i never thought he was as good as this as in impressionist.

[rogerb1031]

@stuart38 Me Either !!! Great talent & Spot on Impressions. rb1031

[rivulatus1]

great impression. just show how times have changed the only place u can see racist comments like that now is on BET

[darius595]

Freddie Prinze laughing away hysterically and within a year he shot himself in the head.

[webbster5296]

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH WHEN FRANK GORSHIN IS TALKING TO YOU!

[HerrEllsworth]

Comedy Central roasts can't hold a candle to this material. Everybody was in good spirits, no below-the-belt humor or insults. I dare any of today's top comics to try outdoing these guys, they can't.

[R0undAboutMidnight]

Here come the anti-PC brigade, shoving their anti-PC correctness down our throats.

[JIMJ32X]

Frank Gorshin = Genius RIP sir thanks for all the laughs

[stuca13]

humor is about laughing at yourself as well as seeing the humor in others.. who gave anyone the right to color code laughter?....was it God.....and if not..lighten up

[elvisobsessor]

this is spot on. :)

[TheOwainglyndwr]

The impersonations are great sadly though it has dated,and it is just not good enough to brush off the racist remarks with the excuse that it's comedy and it's certainly not for us caucasions to tell black people that they should be laughing too!

[kidyubyub]

@TheOwainglyndwr Grow up!

[RADIOWebcast]

ITS COMEDY, PEOPLE!

Its no use to call in the calvary, you're not going to change anyone's opinions!

Just enjoy the video because that is what its there for!

[macman237]

this has GOT to be the funniest fucking thing I've EVER seen on You Tube!

Couldn't happen today for two reasons:

1) no talent like back in the day--not even CLOSE

2) PC idiots just waiting to be offended

[Handiman544]

Americans have made "having fun" a punishable crime. When blacks get over their paranoia about being black, then things will begin to change. Oh dear, am I not being politically correct when I say this? My apologies.

[artist444]

Sammy Davis Jr. was like Willie Mays in baseball-he could do it all. It is sad that people cannot speak their minds anymore because of the speech Nazis.

[cubomania3]

VERY TRUE, these guys all ribbed each other and no one took it the wrong way. Its so uptight these days, and no is as talented anymore either.

[americangalbasseyfan]

Hilarious.

[YouKnowIAmRight]

todays political correctness has been imposed on us by governments creating the "One World" or New world order. They are determined that we will mix as a single people in all countrys and principalities. No differences can be highlighted and all must be treated equally. This has not been done for the benefit of the individual or to prevent racism etc but to serve the purposes of the ruling elite, the corporations and greedy bankers. Don't think for one minute they care about you.

[frankkumon]

that impression is scary good

[HunterMann]

A true genius!

[calvinpaige]

oh heck, we gotta be doing somehting right.

[pem1974]

"Brillo pad with legs" LMFAO!!!

[TenderTrap86]

He hit Richard Burton right on the nose! lol Too funny.

[pykkervots]

It's The Riddler!

[gayguylovescock28]

Now that was a pretty good impersonation of burton, i'd give that - 95/100.

Got to laugh at that

[swami1]

@gayguylovescock28 that was a PERFECT Burton.

[mrchange1951]

Sammy was the greatest entertainer and a better audience. I didn't see the Muhammed Ali bit of this roast on here but Sammy's reactions were priceless.

[dlpimm]

Funny!!!

[dlpimm]

Funny!!!

[Bestmanme08]

Sammy Davis Jr. in great new bio (Ted Kennedy: The Early Years) at amazon!

[deltapunk21]

@Bestmanme08

fuck ted the murderer kennedy

[deltapunk21]

@deltapunk21 fuck the kennedys fuck the kennedys fuck the kennedys

F U C K T H E K E N N E D Y S

[sclogse1]

@deltapunk21

I'm sorry...your what leaks?

[use2slam2]

"by this brillo pad with legs" today the cry of racist comment would be all over the news. these guys knew how to have fun before all this political correctness b*ll shit,they respected and loved each other and it was all in fun !!!

[mrchange1951]

Very well put. I don't think a lot of today's "entertainers" respect themselves so they cannot respect others so everything is taken the wrong way.

[SpaceAceTX]

@use2slam2 Sooooo true. The race card has been played so much it has lost all credible meaning, it is nothing more than a crutch the fragile minded lean on.

Cheers to you !!

[Aprostime123]

@SpaceAceTX great! you know so much about it since many of you are the reason the race card exists. thanks for giving the minority the reason to use it! with your superior attitude.

[bigjimsteelrod]

@use2slam2 oh yeah-Sammy took all that ribbing-thats all it was-I loved Sammy Davis Jr-consumate entertainer-one of the great great talents of all time-great singer, dancer, comedian, dramatist-just an incredible talent-I feel so fortunate having been able to grow up watching him-I remember buying the Candy man single from TG&Y-it was the MGM label, kinda had psychedelic art of the lion-I've read he was the fastest on the draw of any of the Hollywood actors

[208stroker1]

@bigjimsteelrod and dont forget he was a really great impersonater himself...[voice]

[contact1araya]

@use2slam2 See the thing is that this guys are the cream of the crop when TV and Movies were an empire, now everything is so cheap and everybody goes on fox or whatever network and bitch about everithing.

[orchote]

@use2slam2 Have you ever watched a Comedy Central roast?? It's not like any of this kind of stuff has gone away or anything...

[rogerb1031]

@use2slam2 Dude, Your are sooooo right !! Good Humor & lots of love . Nowadays everybody would be screaming ' Racist ' but back then every body was cool. Look how Sammy was laughing and freddie prinze!! & THE impression was spot on!! I laughed my ass off. Great comedy rb1031

[theLaNDoftheLOOPS]

@use2slam2 PC is dead. Long live hilarity.

[thomesocksup]

@use2slam2

I love it! This guy was fantastic. Played on the original batman series. Same bat time, same bat channel.

[rogerb1031]

@use2slam2 u said it dude.great point. rb1031

[styner3]

@use2slam2 I know what your saying...But back then you could also not hire a black person or sell them a house in a certain area. I'm 50 years old. The old days were good, but not great.

[blueluny]

@use2slam2 Its not people that are the problem. Its the media...telling us what we oughta think....A person is smart...but people as a group are stupid and easily excited...the mob mentality is the cause of political correctness

[apoullet]

@blueluny ...you're so damn correct..amen to that!

[coomason5]

@use2slam2 Amen to that!!

[bigstuff52]

@use2slam2 Couldn't have said it better myself.

[PowerGlove79]

@use2slam2 lol I love how you edited Bull but not S--t 

[MIKESOWELL]

@use2slam2 I have to agree with you on this. I am Black, and this was all in good fun.

[yohannbiimu]

Wow!  He got the expression on his face as he did the voice so well that he LOOKS like Burton. It's uncanny!

[bourbakis]

brilliant!

[river2walk]

Wow!..we'll never see the likes of these guys again!

[wannabeaskypirate]

did anyone see dean martin's face at 0:02 ha! priceless!!

[saanzacs]

RIP Frank Gorshin

[girl43]

Really good impression =D

[92af]

Richard Burton was totaly better than Alec Guinness was

[peachyPop1]

Gorshin is such a charming man.

[saanzacs]

Dead on!!!!!!

[Mopsiha15]

Dean allmost died there :P He laughed so hard xD

[adamdicy]

There was another time where Dean and Don almost died with laughter it was during the Michael Landon roast, where that guy came out as a singing Indian and, it's on You Tube somewhere and it's freakin hilarious.

[CarlyIsAGangster]

Dammmmmmmmn. Hes good (:

[Tessmage]

Frank Gorshin was an American treasure. What an amazing and engaging performer he was. Gorshin was best known as an impressionist, but he was equally gifted as an actor, dancer, singer... you name it, and Frank Gorshin could deliver it with his world class talent.

[adamdicy]

Yeah and his last appearance on TV was the CSI episode titled Grave Danger in which he played himself doing in Burt Lancaster impression.

[daybyday007]

This was hilarious!

[psychodamned]

He was good that Riddler !!!

[saab900se]

Good enough for an American but he couldn't capture that voice.

[matelot95]

Yeah. Almost but not quite.

[novusmundi]

Come on man, who could capture Richard Burton's voice completely? He had the greatest voice ever. This is in response to Saab900es. Whether Burton was in The Robe, Cleopatra, Camelot or Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolfe., he had the best voice.

[stratman123]

Bill Murray did the best Burton impression in a short film featured on SNL. He even looked like him. I can't find it, but he does a very brief impression in Scrooged, when some of the homeless people think he really is Burton.

[docmagnus]

Nope. Burton had the THIRD best voice, behind Ronald Colman (the best) and George Sanders!

[novusmundi]

Was Ronald Coleman in The Tale of Two Cities? I know I have seen one of his movies but dont remember his voice too well. Sanders I remember from All About Eve. He had a great voice to as well as James Mason.

[ShawDAMAN]

Yes Colman was in a "Tale of 2 Cities" adaptation.

[mnmcv1]

Ronald Colman had one of the most purely beautiful speaking voices I've heard on a man in my entire life...

[AlpineJoy]

Wow!  Better watch out!

"Brillo pad with legs!"

Very witty, right on the edge, but if Imus had said that, look out!

[SPQR62]

All the good actors are dead :(

[djuma77]

Just as good as his Burt Lancaster impression. Frank was a real genius. I'd love to have a DVD with all of his impressions.

[depaolajr]

Classic!Classic!

The Dean roast were pure classic!(74-78)

[martinpotts]

Haha, funny.

[hollyparker1]

who is the fellow sitting next to sammy davis jr?

[firelawems]

Freddie Prinze...Very famous comedian back then but he committed suicide at like 22 yrs old. The impression Gorshin is doing really is dead on. Richard Burton was in the John Wayne/Robert Mitchum classic movie "The Longest Day". He is the character at the end who had his stomach closed with safety pins.

[JadeTomZ]

his death was ruled accidental.

not suicide.

[firelawems]

AKA suicide...come on man

[b6gm6n]

yeah, like those who have to go into rehab for an addition to 'prescription drugs' ...like what Anadin? paracetamol? come on... :)

[Ecksntrick8]

I looks like Freddie Prinze..Sr. I'm pretty sure. He played Chico on that show.

[SPQR62]

Yes that was him and it was Chico and the Man

[Ecksntrick8]

Yep, just what I said. Freddie Prinze, half puerto rican. and a jewish father. On Chico and the man. He was Chico.

[prodigiesofpeace]

I love how Sammy mouths "A brillo pad with legs?!".

[lovelyirene2001]

"Brillo pad with legs!" Funny! LMAO! Rest in peace Frank Gorshin.

[thebull67]

DEAD FUCKING ON

[droog69]

Wow - Gorshin's Burton is spookily spot-on.

[docevil003]

where can i find him doing his Kirk Douglas

impression? That was KILLER!

[WickedNemesis]

The Bob Saget roast is tonight. I can't wait to get it on DVD uncensored. All these are classics. Especially, anything with Dean and The Pack

[mharding2007]

That's brilliant.

[ilikeburton]

I can't believe how much he actually sounds like Burton! Was Burton behind the curtain or something providing the voice?

[brianatene]

Fantastic!