George Burns and Gracie Allen

Burns and Allen

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Burns and Allen was an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns (1896–1996) and his wife, Gracie Allen (1895–1964). They worked together as a comedy team in vaudeville, films, radio and television and achieved great success over four decades.

Saturday Night Live, John Belushi as Samurai Futaba

Samurai Futaba
Saturday Night

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In the early years of Saturday Night Live, John Belushi (January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) portrayed an archetypal samurai—he had a dedicated concept of honor, spoke only (mock) Japanese, and wielded a Japanese sword. Each sketch had him located in a different place and time that was typically inappropriate for a samurai, yet he performed his tasks perfectly, despite scaring his clients quite a few times. 

Steve Martin, Real Photo Postcard

Real Photo Post Card by Kowalak, River Edge, NJ

This postcard is of Steve Martin holding a Panavision Panaglide camera and a cream pie.

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Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, musician, author, playwright and producer.

He has also become a successful pianist and banjo player and has earned Emmy, Grammy and American Comedy awards, among other honors.

Will Robers with an Airplane

Will Rogers, Famous Humorist

Genuine Curteich-Chicago Postcard
Mid-Continent News Co., Oklahoma City, Okla.

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William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American cowboy, vaudeville performer, humorist, social commentator and motion picture actor.

On August 15, 1935 he and aviator Wiley Post left Fairbanks, Alaska for Point Barrow, Alaska. They were a few miles from Point Barrow when they became uncertain of their position in bad weather and landed in a lagoon to ask directions. On takeoff, the engine failed at low altitude, and the aircraft, uncontrollably nose-heavy at low speed, plunged into the lagoon, shearing off the right wing, and ended up inverted in the shallow water of the lagoon. Both men died instantly.

Laurel and Hardy, 1925

Laurel and Hardy, 1925

Photograph by Lansing Brown

This is a reproduction postcard and is postmarked in 2013. 

Will Rogers Statue in Oklahoma

Will Rogers Memorial Statue, In the New Will Rogers memorial Building, Claremore, Oklahoma
1095

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William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor and one of the best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s.

Known as Oklahoma's favorite son, he traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), wrote more than 4,000 nationally-syndicated newspaper columns, and became a world-famous figure. He was the leading political wit of the Progressive Era, and was the top-paid movie star in Hollywood at the time. Rogers died in 1935 with aviator Wiley Post, when their small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska Territory.

Wild West Comedy Show

Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show
30 days and 30 nights
Hollywood to the Heartland

In theatres February 8, 2008

postmarked in 2008

It took me a while, but I think I figured out who everyone was ;-)

Bret Ernst
Jon Favreau
Sebastian Maniscalco
Peter Billingsley  
Vince Vaughn
John Caparulo
Dwight Yoakam
Justin Long
Ahmed Ahmed
Keir O'Donnell

Eddie Foy in 1907

Eddie Foy in "The Orchid"


The Rotograph Co. N.Y. City

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Eddie Foy, Sr. (born Edwin Fitzgerald March 9, 1856 - February 16, 1928) was an American actor, comedian, dancer and vaudevillian.

Between 1910 and 1913, he formed a family vaudeville act, and "Eddie Foy and The Seven Little Foys", which quickly became a national sensation. While Foy was a stern disciplinarian backstage – his wife Madeline died in 1918 – he portrayed an indulgent papa onstage, and the Foys toured successfully for over a decade, appearing in one motion picture. The children began to go their separate ways after Eddie remarried to Marie Reilly Coombs in 1923, but four of the younger children (Madeline, Mary, Charley, and Irving) performed together until the mid-1930s. A dedicated trouper, the elder Foy continued to appear in vaudeville and starred in the hit Broadway comedy The Fallen Star in 1927. He died of a heart attack while headlining on the Orpheum circuit in Kansas City, Missouri at age 71.

Laurel and Hardy on a Postcard of a USA Stamp

Laurel & Hardy
USA 29 (postcard made from the image of the stamp)
1991

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Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema. Composed of thin Englishman Stan Laurel (16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) and large American Oliver Hardy (January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957), they became well known during the late 1920s to the mid-1940s for their slapstick comedy, with Laurel playing the clumsy and childlike friend of the pompous Hardy.

They made over 100 films together, initially two-reelers (short films) before expanding into feature length films in the 1930s. Their films include Sons of the Desert (1933), the Academy Award winning short film The Music Box (1932), Babes in Toyland (1934), and Way Out West (1937).

Hardy's catchphrase "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!" is still widely recognized.

The Marx Brothers Behind a Sofa

The Marx Brothers

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The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from 1905 to 1949. Five of the Marx Brothers’ thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute as among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them (Duck Soup and A Night at the Opera) in the top twelve.

The core of the act was the three elder brothers, Chico, Harpo, and Groucho; each developed a highly distinctive stage persona. The two younger brothers, Gummo and Zeppo, did not develop their stage characters to the same extent, and eventually left the act to pursue other careers. Gummo was not in any of the movies; Zeppo appeared in the first five films in relatively straight (non-comedic) roles.

Grouch Marx's Fake Moustache-

A fake moustache or false moustache is an item of prosthetic make-up used in dressing-up, acting, espionage and crime. National fake moustache day in the United States is on 24 February, while the international celebration is on 3 February.

Here are a few Notable false moustaches:

The most notable fake moustache of all-time was probably worn by Charlie Chaplin for his role as The Tramp. He initially wore it as a means of disguising his youth for the role.

Groucho Marx (see above) also used a fake moustache during his years in vaudeville and in the early Marx Brothers movies. However, his was drawn onto his lip with grease paint, containing no hairs or bristles. In later life he grew his own, real moustache. It, along with his cigar and waggling eyebrows, were his famous trademark.

Don Rickles

Hard Rock Live:
Mr. Warmth
Don Rickles Live

2 Free Tickets
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
2012

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Donald Jay "Don" Rickles (born May 8, 1926) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He has acted in comedic and dramatic roles, but is best known as an insult comic.

Craig Ferguson, Star of The Late Late Show

Hard Rock Live:
Craig Ferguson Live
Star of The Late Late Show

2 Free Tickets
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
2011

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Craig Ferguson (born 17 May 1962) is a Scottish-American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, producer and voice artist. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS.

Before his career as a late-night television host, Ferguson was best known in the United States for his role as the office boss on The Drew Carey Show, Nigel Wick (1996-2003).

The Three Stooges, Knuckleheads!

The Three Stooges

Knuckleheads!?!

Graphique de France

I bought this one in 2003

Here is one I bought in 1997 ...

The Three Stooges, Wiseguys

The Three Stooges

Oh ... Wiseguys Eh?!

Graphique de France

Charlie Chaplin in a Car

Charlie Chaplin

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Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I. Chaplin used mime, slapstick and other visual comedy routines, and continued well into the era of the talkies. His most famous role was that of The Tramp, which he first played in the Keystone comedy Kid Auto Races at Venice in 1914.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Monty Pyton and the Holy Grail

In this postcard you see Graham Chapman as King Arthur and John Cleese as the Black Knight

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Monty Python and the Holy Grail, (released in the UK on May 25, 1975) is a British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python (Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin), and directed by Gilliam and Jones.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail loosely follows the legend of King Arthur. Arthur (Chapman) along with his squire, Patsy (Gilliam), recruits his Knights of the Round Table, including Sir Bedevere the Wise (Jones), Sir Lancelot the Brave (Cleese), Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot (Idle) and Sir Galahad the Pure (Palin). On the way Arthur battles the Black Knight (Cleese) who, despite having had all his limbs being chopped off, continues to try fighting. They reach Camelot, but Arthur decides not to enter, as it is a "silly place." They are instructed by God (represented by an animated photograph) to seek out the Holy Grail.

some of a quote from this part of the movie:

King Arthur: [after Arthur's cut off both of the Black Knight's arms] Look, You've got no arms left.
Black Knight: Yes I have.
King Arthur: *Look*!
Black Knight: It's just a flesh wound.

Kathy Griffin

Hard Rock Live:
Kathy Griffin

2 Free Tickets
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
2012

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Kathleen Mary "Kathy" Griffin (born November 4, 1960) is an American actress, comedian, model, writer and producer.
In the 1990s, Griffin began performing as a stand-up and also appeared as a guest star on several television shows. She achieved recognition in a supporting role on the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan (1996–2000).

The Birdcage with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane

The Birdcage
United Artist presents a Mike Nichols film

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The Birdcage is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Mike Nichols, and stars Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, and Dianne Wiest. Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria, and Christine Baranski appear in supporting roles.

A Day at the Races Starring The Marx Brothers

The Marx Brothers, A Day at the Races, 1937.
Photograph by Ted Allen

Made in Hollywood: Photographs from the John Kobal Foundation Archive, Santa Barbara Museum of Art

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The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950. Five of the Marx Brothers’ thirteen feature films were selected by the American Film Institute as among the top 100 comedy films, with two of them (Duck Soup and A Night at the Opera) in the top twelve.

The core of the act was the three elder brothers, Chico, Harpo, and Groucho; each developed a highly distinctive stage persona. The two younger brothers, Gummo and Zeppo, did not develop their stage characters to the same extent, and eventually left the act to pursue other careers. Gummo was not in any of the movies; Zeppo appeared only in the first five.

- The Marx Brothers inspired the characters of Yakko, Wakko and Dot in the 90s animated cartoon series Animaniacs

- The British rock group Queen released in 1975 an album called A Night at the Opera, a name which they chose after watching the Marx Brothers' movie. Their next album was called A Day at the Races, also inspired by the Marx Brothers' 1937 movie.

Will Rogers, Statue and Quote

Will Rogers says ...
"Live your life so that whenever you lose, you are ahead."
Will Rogers

Will Rogers' folksy and timeless wit and wisdom have captivated generations.  Enjoy his humor, and explore his life at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore Oklahoma, the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, Oologah, Oklahoma, and the Will Rogers State Historic Park, Pacific Palisades, California.
2010

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William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor and one of the best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s.

Known as Oklahoma's favorite son, he traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), wrote more than 4,000 nationally-syndicated newspaper columns, and became a world-famous figure. He was the leading political wit of the Progressive Era, and was the top-paid movie star in Hollywood at the time. Rogers died in 1935 with aviator Wiley Post, when their small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska Territory.