Ernie Kovacs - "Mack the Knife" including magician Matzoh Hepplewhite

[jjk1412]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

[bobzani]

Ernie had to be the "Father" of special effects on TV. I remember his shows from my childhood.

[9696286]

I remember this show and how some parts of it were nightmarish to me. This rendition, I forgot until now (creepy) and there was also a scene I remember where a hand came up out of a bathtub drain.

To this very day, if I take a bath (I prefer showers) I keep my feet away from the drain because I'm afraid of a hand grabbing me. Weird....I know.

[Setebos]

@9696286 --- The "Mackie Messer" segment also used to give me the willies when I was very young. Kovacs was obviously way ahead of his time.

[9696286]

@Setebos Yes, so many interesting things to see. Very different.

[alto100]

There was quite a bit going on in the early '50's, like Hugh Hefner and Lenny Bruce growing in popularity. Psychedelic drugs were circulating around as legal as you please in the light of day. My guess is Ernie gave it a try and discovered nothing unusual...

[davidb2989]

genius....pure genius

[rbrbran277]

Wow this guy is truly a forgotten part of TV history.

And so rightfully so.

[rolko52]

@rbrbran277 - Ernie's name and reputation will be held longer and in much higher degree than the names of the game developers who's works plaster your YT page.

[soundpro67]

Ernie would probably approve of the Tea Party, because Ernie hated the IRS and the ridiculous tax code we have in the US

[EdMahoney19]

I remember these shows would come on at 5am in Youngstown, Ohio, when I was a kid. Kids use to watch them before school.

[gggggggasdfasdfasdfs]

Thanks for the upload.

50 (or so) years later and I bet a huge number of people wouldn't get this.

[ebenasire]

Very pleased to see these skits again!. The breaking dam on the boardroom wall was always a favorite of mine and of my oldest son (now in his 50s!)

[ronsothermother]

thank you. been a fan for many years

[yoyopro]

There is no understating the genius of Ernie Kovacs . . . you have no idea why what he does is so funny, but it is funny . . . he took this new medium of TV and made us all laugh in a way that we did not know was possible

[arhatyellow]

This and the Nairobi Trio have stayed in my brain's file cabinets since my mother and I watched them nearly 50 years ago....thank God for a crystal-clear mother-board. He and his comedy are lights of sanity and ridiculous reason in a world of dumbasses run amuck (with arms and legs akimbo). Screw the pee-partiers and their brass-buckle shoes. Puritans Go Home! (puh-leeez) Laugh on and Live.

[perrythelaconicone]

I support what you are doing here, rolko52. My sole purpose of visiting your YouTube channel: LAUGHS.

[WSenator1]

I still have fond memories of Ernie Kovacs' show on when I was a boy. I especially remember "Mack the Knife."

[rolko52]

@WSenator1 His death occured way too soon. So much potential will never be realized.

[WSenator1]

@rolko52 - Amen! And with more accessible videotape (it was very expensive in his time) and now computer graphics, imagine what he could have done.

[WSenator1]

@rolko52 - Got that right. I was a boy when he died. I kept hearing his name all over the TV and wondering what the fuss was all about. And then his shows, which my parents always watched, stopped coming on. But thanks to long memories, some PBS specials, and YT, Ernie lives on.

[fromthesidelines]

Most "Tea Party" members have the same attitude that Ernie was up against in the '50s- namely, "conformity".

These absurd "blackouts" were Kovacs' trademark. It wouldn't be surprising to see one where, say, a hunter's in the forest lurking in the bushes and obviously making too much noise, when suddenly, he's shot, and collapses. The camera pans towards a bear with a smoking "45" in his paws, nodding and returing to a bridge table where he's playing cards with an elk, a moose, and a deer..

[GanarfGeorgie]

God bless you Ernie!

[143AC]

Dear Elc, I don't give a damn what the damn tea partiers say about Mr.Kovacs' comedy

he was and still is funny as hell! better than the crap that one sees today on

"Saturday Night Live!".

[KafeSociety]

Wow, who let all the right wing f*cktards in the room? 

[thanksforthemessdick]

nice old footage thanks,you seem to have an internet freak war going on in the comments,visual entertainment sure has come a long way.I used to watch this on pbs when I was a kid ,have not seen it in a while.thanks again

[rolko52]

@thanksforthemessdick Thank God it seems so far to be limited to this particular video on this channel. I hope the tone remains strictly that of a Kovacs fan site.

[elc1960]

@rolko52 The site seems to have been attacked by the "Tea Partiers". (I wonder what Kovacs would have said about that - "Attack of the Tea Party.") There seems to be a real inundation of reactionary political stuff going on all over the 'Net; a shame it has to occur here as well. Anyway, you did a great job posting this clip and it's too bad that more people are not commenting on it instead of the political propaganda.

[rolko52]

@elc1960 Thank you for your support!

[143AC]

I have to agree with Rolko,..Ernie 's comedic style didn't please

everyone. But? He did pave the way for other comedic talents to develop and expand

visual and character comedy skits for tv.Talents like Chuck McCann,Joe

Bova,Johnny Coons,Johnny Ginger and Soupy Sales are good examples.

[143AC]

I wonder how Mr.Kovacs got Mr.Neuss to perform this rendition of"Mack The

Knife"for these zany but funny blackouts for the former's tv comedy show?

[rolko52]

@143AC More than likely, the song was already recorded on disc. Ernie's background included being a disc jockey and he was reported to have a considerable record collection with a wide range of musical taste.

[FrannyRenee]

I used to live for Ernies shoiw when I was a kid.

[zeekwolfe]

Would someone please tell me when it's time to laugh?

[CakesOfGravy]

I'd be glad to answer your query Zeekwolfe....

The answer is:

The next time you look at your pathetically small male member.

You're welcome.

[zeekwolfe]

Once again, ladies and gentlement, boys and girls, my critics use a scatalogical metaphore in place of a genuine discussion of things comedic. The above video makes it perfectly clear: Ernie Kovacs was not a funny man. Neither are Jerry Lewis or Chevy Chase or David Letterman or Jay Leno...it makes your head spin because the list is endless. CakesOfGravy seems to have an obsession with male 'enhancement' or lack of same on other men.  "To thine own self be true," said the Bard.

[rolko52]

@zeekwolfe One man's humor is another man's yawn. Kovacs never had a broad following even during his all too short career. He was seldom side-splitting funny. He was a "visual humorist" who DID pioneer a comedic style which others better refined. Compare Robert Benchley to Rodney Dangerfield. Two different styles from two different eras. As a reference, tell us what comedians you DO like! Lighten up...don't be such a curmudgeon! :-)

[zeekwolfe]

Your point about Rodney Dangerfield and Robert Benchley is well taken. Don Rickles could put a Las Vegas showroom in stitiches...but don't sit too close to him. Bn thr, dn tht. Steve Martin is a good solo act. Johnathan Winters was great. Go to a 'comedy club' out on Sunset or Doheny all all you'll hear are filthy jokes tinged with racism. The writers of the old "Columbo" television series used brilliant but understated humor. People nowadays are too dumb to understand humorous nuances.

[pt1gard]

@zeekwolfe please list people you deem funny?

[zeekwolfe]

@pt1gard I've already answered that question to another inquirer...Don Rickles, Steve Martin and Jonathan Winters. But for true comedy with an evil twist, look at the eyes and body posture of B. Obama when he tells lies, which is most of the time. His audiences are to too dumb to understand, but real experts with years and years of experience in Vegas show rooms can spot an amateur right away. Obama's road show fails unless his stooges pick the crowd and pack the crowd with union thugs.

[rolko52]

@zeekwolfe Listen Dude, this channel is not intended as a political forum. I don't agree with the content and tone of your last statement. My first reaction to your off-the-wall statement was to dump it, and you, from this channel. ...cont

[rolko52]

@zeekwolfe cont... Unlike a certain political party in this country, and their evil spawn, I believe in freedom of speech...but I respect more highly truth and integrity. We could start a pissing match on this channel, but I suggest that you bring it over to the YT Fox News or Glen Beck or any other right wingnut admiration page.

[zeekwolfe]

@rolko52 That won't work on me. Beck is a fool who attacts a certain dimwit audience. Ditto...Hannity, Scarbourough, Limbaugh, Savage and Olberman. Jerks all! Ron Paul doesn't tell jokes, just the truth. And what I said about B. Obama remains the truth. You shouldn't use that man's name and the words "truth" and "intergrity" in the same breath. "Deceit" would be a far better choice. Practicing deceit in Chicago politics is a cottage industry that the rest of us must now live with.

[pt1gard]

ok like all of them .... google MARK GLENN podcasts UGLY TRUTH ... good stuff ... Obama is n evil puppet. EMANUEL?? cmon!!! check the only thing Obama pushed during his stint in ILL? anyhow, he's the least of the probs, he runs nothing, the FED, Israeli lobby, wall street, rothschilds, rockies, etc ...

"We'll know that our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is FALSE" - William Casey, CIA Director (Quote - 1981 internal staff meeting notes).

[zeekwolfe]

@pt1gard Since when are the Colorado Rockies a force in politics?

[pt1gard]

@zeekwolfe since they got their No-No and george will soiled himself

[rolko52]

@pt1gard If I am not mistaken, William Casey, a Republican, was installed as CIA Director by Ronald Reagan. I think you have made your point, but not in the direction you suspected.

[CakesOfGravy]

BIGBEN1872- Had you considered this was merely meant to be entertaining and not laugh out loud funny? Of course it owes much to early animation, and early animation owed its dues to that which it was inspired by. Such is great art my friend. Ernie was undoubtedly one of those "ahead of his time" characters please don't besmirch his good name by trying to make yourself sound as though you are an informed on the topic of him.

[bigben1872]

Amusing, but way overrated (maybe he earned his reputation with more adult stuff at clubs or private parties). These bits owe a lot to early absurdist cartoons: Max Fleischer, Looney Tunes etc.

He may have inspired Laugh-in, but Second City he was not.

Anyone catch the sly reference to JFK in the waterfall gag?

[conservativefloozie]

Ernie was a true genius.

[Tamaslammer]

This shit was so out....

EK was way ahead of his time. True innovation in comedy.

And why was the parking meter guy wearing a kilt? wtf?haha

[rolko52]

He is supposed to be Scottish, who have a reputation of being thifty.

[Tamaslammer]

ahhh...

It all makes sense now....

[jmebme]

@Tamaslammer Ever heard of a "Scotch buy"? The Scotts were long accused of being overly thrifty. This comes almost close to being like the slurs about Jewish people but i do not believe it goes that far. The tales about the Scots were that they were/are thrifty and financially conservative. What was portrayed was a bit of a slur.

[rolko52]

@jmebme After the debacle on Wall Street, that's should be regarded as a shining example!

[thanksforthemessdick]

@jmebme they did the same thing in monty python.pretty harmless

[Diskoboy1974]

Ernie Kovacs had one thing that 99% of American comedians today don't have - wit and creativity.

If it wasn't for this man, most of the comedy we enjoy today, such as Monty Python, The Simpsons, and practically every comedy sketch show would've been a pipe dream.

[evet45]

@Diskoboy1974 I totally agree! The bridge from Vaudeville, to Laugh In, , in Living Color, and SNL/

[ipmoic]

Always wonderful to see these again. As a child, (8 or 9) I was fascinated by this kooky, off-the-wall kind of comedy. I was crazy about it!

Also, many thanks rolko52 for naming the singer. I had never been able to find out who it was--until now!

[rolko52]

Thanks for the post! I obtained the info from the CD booklet that was enclosed on the "Ernie Kovacs' Record Collection". I can't believe a few years ago I purchased it for about 20 bucks. It is now posted on Amazon and EBay from $50 to $100. A better investment than Beanie Babies!

[jimmybobson123]

nice 1 rorschach :-)

[FromHolbergsTime]

An inspired classic from the Kovacs collection. Ground-breaking, imaginative use of the television medium and videotape.

[1011010]

Frickin' lazy cops. Turn the effing handle, jerk!

[rolko52]

Where are cops in this video?

[1011010]

@rolko52 - 0:23

"Police will not turn handle"

:)

[rolko52]

Duh.... I missed that one.

[1011010]

Naw, you don't deserve a "duh" :) It was really just something that I happened to hyperfixate on and was incensed that cops were excused from helping a citizen to avoid a ticket. Thanks for upping this video. As a fan of comedy, I like to see archival comedy. I still haven't quite found the sweet spot where Kovacs' sense of humor jibes with mine, but I'm sure it'll come in time. Dovetonsils is kinda funny. :)

[wiedep]

kovacs calld these - "black out's"