Great stuff! Enjoyed watching as much as the physical comedy of Shields & Yarnell and Bill Irwin of later years. Wish there were more entertainers like this today. Thanks again!
The Banana Man was a vaudeville character created by Adolf Proper 1886 - 1950, His stage name was "A. Robins".THE act consisted of pulling various objects out from his coat, He was mute, except for an "Ooh" or a "Wow" in a HE wass The Banana Man in the Broadway musical Jumbo, Seeing Red starring Red Skelton, in the film Mother Wore Tights w/ Betty Grable. the costume was 60 LBS loaded, Sam Levine performed as The Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo and Ed Sullivan
The Banana Man was a vaudeville character created by Adolf Proper 1886 - 1950, His stage name was "A. Robins".THE act consisted of pulling various objects out from his coat, He was mute, except for an "Ooh" or a "Wow" in a HE wass The Banana Man in the Broadway musical Jumbo, Seeing Red starring Red Skelton, in the film Mother Wore Tights w/ Betty Grable. the costume was 60 LBS loaded, Sam Levine performed as The Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo and Ed Sullivan .
The Banana Man was a vaudeville character created by Adolf Proper 11/ 1886 - 12/ 1950, His stage name was "A. Robins".THE act consisted of pulling various objects out from his coat, He was mute, except for an "Ooh" or a "Wow" in a HE wass The Banana Man in the Broadway musical Jumbo, Seeing Red starring Red Skelton, in the film Mother Wore Tights WITH Betty Grable. the costume was 60 LBS loaded, Sam Levine performed as The Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo and Ed Sullivan .
Penn Jillette sent me a Banana Man tape about 10 years ago- he said he got it from a friend. It looks and sounds like this man. In it he is "singing" Stride la Vampa and his arms look very female - funny to see him in drag. Here he is doing Mozart's Turkish March at the beginning. One reference site said he brought this act from the Jewish theater in Russia where his father had performed it. I find his range and vocal pitch amazing. Thanks!
If A Robins is not the same Banana Man that appeared on Captain Kangaroo, the new guy stole his act. I can't believe they were not the same. The props are different, but the huge coat with its inexhaustible supply of bizzarre props and the expanding boxes (became a train on Kanga), the insane whiney singing are all the same. This guy is a not just a walking hallucintion, he is a really bad trip!!! I LOVE it!!! Thanks for posting! Now I have to scoure the internet for MORE!!!
I may stand corrected on my last post. The performer who appeared on the Captain Kangaroo Show between '58 and '70 as The Banana Man was reportedly Sammy Levine and not A. Robins. At any rate, the character was not one of Bob Keesham's (Captain Kangaroo).
Actually, according to a friend who took the time to do a bit of research, A. Robbins licensed his Banana Man character to others. On Captain Kangaroo, the character was played by the same guy who portrayed Mr. Greenjeans.
I don't think so. Mr. Greenjeans was played by Lumpy Brennan. Take a look at the Captain Kangaroo Banana Man clip posted by CatThatHasNoName. He takes a bow at the end after removing his wig, and he doesn't look like Mr. Greenjeans.
My husband told me of Mr. Banana Man on Capt. Kangaroo and he also did a great imitation of him as well. My hubby is 10 years older than I am so when I started to watch the show I do not think Banana Man was on anymore.
It's from a copy of a copy of a copy... I transferred it from VHS but as I'm told it's also in a Vaudeville compilation that you can order fron A-1 Video. I wish I had more footage of A.Robins-- his work needs to be preserved for future generations.
1 dislike - gets out shotgun
DeliciousCrump 1 week ago
Great stuff! Enjoyed watching as much as the physical comedy of Shields & Yarnell and Bill Irwin of later years. Wish there were more entertainers like this today. Thanks again!
edenzeal 2 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
nice clips.. keep it up thanks for sharing ..
delorsebolnick 2 months ago
The Banana Man was a vaudeville character created by Adolf Proper 1886 - 1950, His stage name was "A. Robins".THE act consisted of pulling various objects out from his coat, He was mute, except for an "Ooh" or a "Wow" in a HE wass The Banana Man in the Broadway musical Jumbo, Seeing Red starring Red Skelton, in the film Mother Wore Tights w/ Betty Grable. the costume was 60 LBS loaded, Sam Levine performed as The Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo and Ed Sullivan
iamroughdraft 11 months ago
The Banana Man was a vaudeville character created by Adolf Proper 1886 - 1950, His stage name was "A. Robins".THE act consisted of pulling various objects out from his coat, He was mute, except for an "Ooh" or a "Wow" in a HE wass The Banana Man in the Broadway musical Jumbo, Seeing Red starring Red Skelton, in the film Mother Wore Tights w/ Betty Grable. the costume was 60 LBS loaded, Sam Levine performed as The Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo and Ed Sullivan .
iamroughdraft 11 months ago
The Banana Man was a vaudeville character created by Adolf Proper 11/ 1886 - 12/ 1950, His stage name was "A. Robins".THE act consisted of pulling various objects out from his coat, He was mute, except for an "Ooh" or a "Wow" in a HE wass The Banana Man in the Broadway musical Jumbo, Seeing Red starring Red Skelton, in the film Mother Wore Tights WITH Betty Grable. the costume was 60 LBS loaded, Sam Levine performed as The Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo and Ed Sullivan .
iamroughdraft 11 months ago
Brilliant!
Fergophone 1 year ago
I wonder if Carrot Top got his idea from Robins. Some of the noises he makes reminds me of Curly,from the Three Stooges.
The101177 2 years ago
A Robins is not the Banana Man. (He's much funnier than BM)
idiotglee 2 years ago
I saw him at the Bloomsburg (PA) Fair back in the 50s. He pulled a whole train out of that coat and was pulling it around the stage.
6907lankershim 2 years ago
THANK YOU for the memory. Late in his career he was on Red Skelton and Ed Sullivan when I was a little boy. I loved him
ia57man 2 years ago
Penn Jillette sent me a Banana Man tape about 10 years ago- he said he got it from a friend. It looks and sounds like this man. In it he is "singing" Stride la Vampa and his arms look very female - funny to see him in drag. Here he is doing Mozart's Turkish March at the beginning. One reference site said he brought this act from the Jewish theater in Russia where his father had performed it. I find his range and vocal pitch amazing. Thanks!
Goethefemme 2 years ago
Comment removed
Ebo9508 2 years ago
If A Robins is not the same Banana Man that appeared on Captain Kangaroo, the new guy stole his act. I can't believe they were not the same. The props are different, but the huge coat with its inexhaustible supply of bizzarre props and the expanding boxes (became a train on Kanga), the insane whiney singing are all the same. This guy is a not just a walking hallucintion, he is a really bad trip!!! I LOVE it!!! Thanks for posting! Now I have to scoure the internet for MORE!!!
satweavers 3 years ago 3
he makes this look so easy but you can be sure he had to load all those props in his pockets just right. And do the act in a specific order
inkey2 3 years ago
"The Banana Man"also appeared in the movie
musical"Mother Wore Tights!"with Mr.Dan Dailey,
Senior Wences and..Ms.Betty Grable.
143AC 3 years ago
He was better years later on Cpt. Kangaroo, but this is still invaluable to Bananamanophiles
finylvinyl66 3 years ago
i saw him on capt. kangaroo, he made me waayy nervous. yikes!
daffer53 3 years ago
Takes me back to memory lane - I used to watch him on "Captain Kangaroo". The man was a genius
philc2000 3 years ago
Absolutely great clip!
ulpdlharz 4 years ago
And wasn't A. Robins on The Ed Sullivan Show many times? I seem to remember he was.
bookseller 4 years ago
And, Captain Kangaroo's real name was Bob Keeshan...not Keesham. The older I get the worse I type.
larryinvegas 4 years ago
I may stand corrected on my last post. The performer who appeared on the Captain Kangaroo Show between '58 and '70 as The Banana Man was reportedly Sammy Levine and not A. Robins. At any rate, the character was not one of Bob Keesham's (Captain Kangaroo).
larryinvegas 4 years ago
No, Captain Kangaroo didn't do a character called The Banana Man. A. Robins was a guest on Captain Kangaroo as The Banana Man. I remember it vividly.
larryinvegas 4 years ago
Actually, according to a friend who took the time to do a bit of research, A. Robbins licensed his Banana Man character to others. On Captain Kangaroo, the character was played by the same guy who portrayed Mr. Greenjeans.
pkazee 2 years ago
I don't think so. Mr. Greenjeans was played by Lumpy Brennan. Take a look at the Captain Kangaroo Banana Man clip posted by CatThatHasNoName. He takes a bow at the end after removing his wig, and he doesn't look like Mr. Greenjeans.
TooleMan87 2 years ago
Lumpy's last name was actually spelled Brannum. There's a Lumpy Brannum fan page at FaceBook now.
Polyphemus47 2 years ago
My husband told me of Mr. Banana Man on Capt. Kangaroo and he also did a great imitation of him as well. My hubby is 10 years older than I am so when I started to watch the show I do not think Banana Man was on anymore.
adoggperson 2 years ago
THANK YOU!!!!
quickcap 4 years ago
Serious question. Didn't Capt. Kangaroo do s character called "The Banana Man"?? Boy, am I dating myself.=Stefan=
chengloki 5 years ago
You're right. A "decendent" of the Banana Man did the act with some changes..
rorotheclown 5 years ago
Wonderful to see the ORIGINAL Banana Man ! What film is this from...a short film ? What a treat to see this..it's almost surreal...and sublime !
Zeydez 5 years ago 3
It's from a copy of a copy of a copy... I transferred it from VHS but as I'm told it's also in a Vaudeville compilation that you can order fron A-1 Video. I wish I had more footage of A.Robins-- his work needs to be preserved for future generations.
rorotheclown 5 years ago 2