Ernie Kovacs - Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture, Part 2" featuring Muriel Landers

[mvies77]

Was so happy as a kid to find someone with the same sense of humor I had. Miss you Ernie.

[IanHunedoara8]

He also created a puppet skit called - "that's how you make a hit record"

[alto100]

Either this is total genius or I'm totally stoned...this clip is a trip...Ernie K was so far ahead of his time he had to have a big influence on all comedy going forward... Rowan and Martin and ... I'm too stoned... you got the idea....

[ravenofno]

@alto100 I'm old enough to barely remember the show (B in 1956). I remember laughing even then. What a talent the world lost too soon....he was the original MAD Comic book (before the Magazine)...only on TV.

[alto100]

Either this is total genius or I'm totally stoned...this clip is a trip...Ernie K was so far ahead of his time he had to have a big influence on all comedy going forward... Rowan and Martin and ... I'm too stoned... you got the idea....

[EpicureMammon]

"Smoking tea"

Nice.

[rolko52]

@EpicureMammon VERY old school!

[RayPointer]

@rolko52 Is that bab?

[EpicureMammon]

Adult Swim before there was Adult Swim.

[RJRanke]

When Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In won their first emmy,Dan Rowan thanked the producers of their series and Dick Martin slyly said,"We'd also like to thank Ernie Kovacs and everybody else we stole our matierail from."

[rolko52]

@RJRanke - Since the producer was George Schlatter, whose wife is Jolene Brand ("The Bathtub Girl" seen above), he was absolutley correct!

[podiumman2]

From the mind of Kovacs....LOL

[143AC]

Heavyset singer/dancer and comedy performer:Ms.Muriel("Tiny")Lan­ders had worked with"The Three Stooges"in"Sweet & Hot" and she appeared in the 1967 movie musical version of"Dr.Dolittle"with Rex Harrison and Sir Richard Attenbrough.

[rolko52]

@143AC I first recognized her from one of the original "Twilight Zone" episodes.

[RayPointer]

@143AC She also appeared at VIOLET, the cousin to Cara Williams on PETE AND GLADYS.

[nokomarie1963]

What if Ernie did have the internet to play with? I think he still would have chosen limp celery to bend-er snap.

[podiumman2]

@nokomarie1963 What if Spartacus had a Piper Cub? ;-)

[FnordicQueen]

Still after nearly five decades I laugh myself into fits at this. It starts out as giggles, then chuckles, then guffaws, and when the first egg hits the skillet, I'm on the floor. I pretty much lose consciousness at the ballerina at the end.

Low tech genius using juxtaposition and surreal surprise as comic grenades. The monkeys, the cow, the celery, the eggs. Pure simple awesome Kovacs. You can really see the influence he had on the Pythons, in this sketch.

[ariastoteles]

¡Ja ja ja!

[nautilus151515]

Pure Genius

[rolko52]

I remember as a kid seeing those mechanical toys in the windows of the old slim ball novelty shops around Times Square in New York City during the late 50's and early 60's. Sometimes they were sold from the suitcases of the street peddlers.

[logancody05]

@rolko52 Oh my God, you just gave me a flashback.

[rolko52]

@logancody05  A good one I hope!

[logancody05]

@rolko52 A wonderful one, thank you. I couldn't help thinking that as children you and I might have been standing next to each other looking in at the same display in the novelty shop. Of course we can never know, but it was so nice to know some one else had the same memory. Imagine these kids today being fascinated by a simple little mechanical toy. We looked at a toy and our imaginations took over. Today, the kids wait for the toy to tell them what to imagine. Good way to lose your childhood

[niamhorourke]

Ernie Kovacs was so far ahead of his time we *still* have not caught up with him. Pure genius.

[offstride]

Well before his time. He understood comedy and television. If he lived 20 or 30 years longer what would we have seen?

[mikemcgee]

i think this is a preserved segment of the 1967 cbs special they had about ernie kovack and his shows other wise all the full shows are now on kinescope

[vibraharp226]

Zoftig to say the least. Thanks for posting. My father was in the television business as a director, so we watched this show quite often. I distinctly remember this episode - it had a real impression on a young kid.

[racedinghy]

dam i wish Ernie Kovacs had not run his car

in to a telephone pole

did it hear right

the crew is drinking and smoking tea

[rolko52]

For the time, Ernie got away with murder on some of his gags.

[ELGROOVER]

There were some big arguments between the members of The Monkees before Micky Dolenz finally won out and claimed the sticks.

Love the solo celery break.

Needs MORE COWBELL!!! ☺

[parriskyle]

Actually, for 50's TV, Ernie had a very high budget.

[Jcolinsol]

Anarchy! In the non-pejorative of course.

[rolko52]

Of course!

[ziffels]

I (heart) Ernie

[MrUnidyne]

Ernie once created the first kaleidoscopic image on live television with two small mirrors glued into an orange juice can and secured onto a TV camera with tape. One can only imagine what he would have been doing with today's computerized effects. Ernie, you left us WAY too soon!

"It is appropriate that television is called a medium, because it's rare if it's ever well done." - Ernie Kovacs

[rolko52]

"It is appropriate that television is called a medium, because it's rare if it's ever well done." - Ernie Kovacs

As much as I love Ernie's humor, that quote actually originated with radio and TV comedian Fred Allen.

[MrUnidyne]

I stand corrected. Although Ernie was quoted as saying: "Seeing a murder on television can help work off one's antagonisms. And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some."

[Tubernaut]

That is a wonderful quote and unfortunately that much more truthful in 2010.

[tennforever]

Ernie had a $20 budget and made more humor than these so-called comedians today would ever hope to. If it weren't for sex, these clowns today wouldn't have any material at all.

[MIGUEL2005LIMA]

jajjaajaja que genio kovacs, que pesadilla de loco!! GENIO!!