Ernie Kovacs - "Whom Dunnit" featuring Bobby Lauher

[ucmeason]

I met Bobby when I was a child in Houston. My Dad worked for KPRC as an announcer. Bobby had a kids TV show at the station.

[rolko52]

@RichHartley19671 - That's correct. Then Kovacs goes on to use the slang "dunnit" instead of "done it".

[EpicureMammon]

@rolko52 Not only that, but in this instance "Whom" is grammatically incorrect. That's some leveling for you!

[mikemcgee]

i was close i said 1960 but the special was 1961

[tallpaul521]

Rolko52 Got your messages. I just ran across this clip as I'm a huge Kovacs fan and I know that my friend worked and knew Bobby...and I know Milt Larsen and Dick Sherman, who are mentioned in the video notes. Thanks for the clip.

[tallpaul521]

Lauher was from Houston, Texas..before he moved to LA to work for Kovacs. A good friend of mine knew and worked with Lauher in Houston. Lauher sadly died in his LA pool of an apparent heart attack.

[fromthesidelines]

Yes, 'rolko', NOW I recognize his name: Steve Blauner appeared in this sketch primarily as a favor to Ernie...or perhaps, this was "payment" he owed for losing a card game [they often played poker]. Blauner's real profession was being an agent- his most famous client was Bobby Darin.

[rolko52]

@fromthesidelines Barry, you are on fire! You must win, hands down, every time you play "Trivial Pursuit"!

[fromthesidelines]

Now THAT I wasn't aware of, 'rolko'. Thanks for informing me about Mr. Blouton, although he really wasn't a regular member of Ernie's "stock company".

[fromthesidelines]

This appeared on one of Ernie's 1961 ABC specials, right after his own game/panel show, "TAKE A GOOD LOOK", had been cancelled (in fact, the desks were recycled from that show, as well as the "glissando" cue heard at 1:13). Bobby Lauher is the "frothy" emcee [ironically, he later became a member of Bob Barker's staff, as a writer and "stooge", on "TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES"]; Jolene Brand and Joe Mikolas are two of the "panelists".

[rolko52]

@fromthesidelines You forgot Julius O'Brian. Trenton Elementary School Honor Student (by virtue of his age), played by Steve Blouton.

[rolko52]

@fromthesidelines Sorry, my typo error. Steve's last name was actually "Blauner".

[doctorpsycho1960]

The only darker satire I can think of is one mentioned in the _Mister X_ comic book, in which a TV series titled "Celebrity Autopsy" was sometimes mentioned.

Maybe the guests on "Whom Dunnit" can make a return appearance on "Celebrity Autopsy"...?

[yogafan6500]

Hilariously funny. A wacky takeoff of What's My Line. great classic skit from one of the late great Ernie Kovacs's comedy specials from the early 1960's.

[omittedforclarity]

"Rather" dark? In the sense that the ocean is "rather" damp, I suppose...

[TheTravelingThumb]

Are we closer today to this type of moronic panel reality game show than when Ernie Kovacs wrote this sketch? What a genius he was!!