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Ernie Kovacs - Comic Genius

Posted on 6/9/24 at 10:53 am
Posted by blueridgeTiger
Granbury, TX
Member since Jun 2004
22174 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 10:53 am
We watched Bell, Book and Candle last night starring Kim Novak. Ernie Kovacs had a supporting role which didn't fully showcase his comic talent. His early 1960s TV series more fully demonstrated his range. Here is the Nairobi Trio, a regular feature on the series.



Kovacs is in the center with the cigar. The pianist was probably his wife, Edie Adams (great talent in her own right), but may have been Jolene Brand. On the left could have been Jack Lemmon, Frank Sinatra, or another guest on the show.
Posted by Fewer Kilometers
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
38293 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 12:02 pm to
Letterman was pretty open about stealing from Kovacs and Steve Allen (who also stole from Kovacs).
Posted by SoFla Tideroller
South Florida
Member since Apr 2010
40432 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 12:04 pm to
When he died, he left Edie in serious debt. She worked non-stop to pay his debts off.

Posted by VoxDawg
Glory, Glory
Member since Sep 2012
76894 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 12:08 pm to
Positively genius
Posted by sqerty
AP
Member since May 2022
8391 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 1:05 pm to
I seem to remember that someone who worked with Kovacs worked for Letterman.

The man and his director ( I'm sure other people were involved too) did some pretty ballsy stuff for 50s television.

Seems like he influenced everybody. It was usually his good friend Jack Lemmon in the monkey suit.

He really scored when he married Edie Adams. Shes the reason some of his work has been preserved.

It's been awhile since I read about him so I could be wrong. Was introduced to his show from the first Ernie Kovacs collection on DVD back in 2011(?)

This post was edited on 6/9/24 at 2:31 pm
Posted by VoxDawg
Glory, Glory
Member since Sep 2012
76894 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 2:18 pm to
I learned about Ernie from my love for Weird Al's work when he got going in the early 80s.
Posted by blueridgeTiger
Granbury, TX
Member since Jun 2004
22174 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 2:39 pm to
quote:

She worked non-stop to pay his debts off.


She did Muriel Cigar commercials for many years:

Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
156425 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 4:24 pm to
Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
156425 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 4:30 pm to
Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
156425 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 4:35 pm to
Posted by JawjaTigah
On the Bandwagon
Member since Sep 2003
22929 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 6:55 pm to
I loved the Nairobi Trio. Whenever it came on I was laughing non-stop. I was a little kid in those days, but I still laugh watching it now.
Posted by SoFla Tideroller
South Florida
Member since Apr 2010
40432 posts
Posted on 6/9/24 at 10:09 pm to
Yup. Edie was a babe.
Posted by Fewer Kilometers
Baton Rouge
Member since Dec 2007
38293 posts
Posted on 6/10/24 at 12:17 am to
quote:

I seem to remember that someone who worked with Kovacs worked for Letterman
Letterman’s original announcer Bill Wendell was Kovacs’ announcer. Letterman had Kovacs’ widow on once as a guest, Bill came out to sit with her to discuss Ernie with Dave.
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