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Sid Caesar

Born September 8, 1922 (1922-09-08) (age 85)
Yonkers, New York City, New York, USA
Years active 1950s-2000s
Spouse(s) Florence Levy (1943-present)

Sid Caesar (born Isaac Sidney Caesar September 8, 1922) is an Emmy Award-winning American comic actor and writer best known as the leading man on the 1950s television series Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour, and to younger generations as Coach Calhoun in Grease and Grease 2. Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Yonkers is the fourth largest city in the US State of New York (behind Rochester, Buffalo, and New York City) and the largest city in The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 70 - Roman forces under Titus sack Jerusalem. 1264 - The Statute of Kalisz Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Your Show of Shows was a live 90-minute Sketch comedy Television series appearing weekly in the United States on NBC, from 1950 Caesar's Hour was a Television program that aired on NBC from 1954 until 1957. Grease is a film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Jim Jacobs ' and Warren Casey 's musical, Grease Grease 2 is the 1982 Sequel to the 1978 smash hit Grease. The movie was strongly criticized by many as derivative

Contents

Biography

Early life

Isaac Sidney Caesar was born in Yonkers, New York, where his father, Max, and mother, Ida, ran a twenty-four-hour luncheonette. Yonkers is the fourth largest city in the US State of New York (behind Rochester, Buffalo, and New York City) and the largest city in New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Caesar would help his parents by waiting on tables and it was during this time that Sid learned to mimic many of the accents he would use throughout his long career. He first tried his double-talk with a group of Italians, his head barely reaching above the table. They enjoyed it so much, they sent him over to a group of Poles to repeat it in Polish, and so on with Russians, Hungarians, Frenchmen, Spaniards, Lithuanians, and Bulgarians. Despite his apparent fluency in many languages, in reality Caesar can only speak English and Yiddish. The Caesars were a funny family and Sid's older brother Dave was his comic mentor and 'one-man cheering section'. They created their earliest family sketches from then current movies like Test Pilot and Wings. Test Pilot Is a 1938 film directed by Victor Fleming. Featuring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, and Lionel Barrymore Wings ( is a silent movie about World War I fighter pilots directed by William A

At fourteen, Caesar first went to the Catskills as a saxophonist with Mike Cifficello's Swingtime Six and would also occasionally perform in sketches. The Catskill Mountains (also known as simply the Catskills) a natural area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany After graduating from high school in 1939, Caesar's family was still reeling from the Great Depression and he moved out, intent on a musical career. He arrived in New York City penniless and tried to join the musician's union (later he audited classes at the famed Juilliard School of Music). The City of New York The Juilliard School, located in New York City, is a world renowned Performing arts conservatory. That first summer on his own, he played at the Vacationland Hotel in Swan Lake in the Catskills. The Catskill Mountains (also known as simply the Catskills) a natural area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany There under the tutelage of Don Appel, the resort's social director, Caesar played in the band and learned to perform comedy, doing three shows a week.

During the summer of 1942, he met his future wife Florence Levy at the Avon Lodge. After joining the musician's union, he briefly played with Shep Fields, Claude Thornhill, Charlie Spivak, and even Benny Goodman. Shep Fields ( September 12, 1910 &ndash February 23, 1981) was the band leader for the critically acclaimed "Shep Fields and His Rippling Claude Thornhill (* August 10, 1909 at Terre Haute Indiana † July 1, 1965, New York City) was an American Charlie Spivak ( 17 February 1905 or 1907&ndash 1 March 1982) was an American Trumpeter and Bandleader, best known In September 1942, Caesar joined the United States Coast Guard. Fortunately, he was posted to Brooklyn so he was able to maintain contact with his family and fiancée. Vernon Duke, the famous composer of Autumn in New York, April in Paris, and Taking a Chance on Love, was also stationed at the same base and he collaborated with Caesar in musical revues. Vernon Duke ( — January 16, 1969) was a Russian American Composer / Songwriter, who also wrote under his original name

Caesar's knack for wisecracks, however, got bigger applause than the musical numbers, and the show's producer asked him to do stand-up between his numbers. While still in the service, Caesar was ordered to Palm Beach, Florida where Vernon Duke and Howard Dietz were putting together a service revue, Tars and Spars. Howard Dietz ( September 8, 1896 – July 30, 1983) was an American Publicist, Lyricist, and Librettist There he met the civilian director of the show Max Liebman, later the producer of his first hit television series. Tars and Spars toured nationally and then a film version was made at Columbia Pictures. }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company He also got a part in The Guilt of Janet Ames. He married Florence Levy on July 17, 1943. They are the parents of three children.

Career

After the war, Caesar and his wife stayed in Hollywood, but despite a few offers to play sidekick roles, Caesar decided to go back to New York where he got a club date as the opening act for Joe E. Lewis at the Copacabana nightclub. Joe E Lewis ( January 12, 1902 &ndash 4 June, 1971) born Joseph Klewan in New York City, was an American He reunited with Max Liebman, who guided his stage material and presentation. That appearance led to a contract with the William Morris agency and a nationwide tour. William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896 was an English Architect, Furniture and Textile designer artist writer and socialist associated Caesar also performed in a Broadway revue Make Mine Manhattan which featured The Five Dollar Date, one of his first original pieces in which he sang, acted, double-talked, pantomimed, and wrote the music.

Caesar began his television career when he made an appearance on Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theater. Mendel "Milton Berle" Berlinger ( July 12, 1908 &ndash March 27, 2002) was an Emmy -winning American Comedian Texaco Star Theater, a comedy-variety In early 1949, Sid and Max met with Pat Weaver, vice president of television at NBC (and father of Sigourney Weaver), which led to Caesar's appearance in his first series Admiral Broadway Revue with Imogene Coca. Sylvester Laflin "Pat" Weaver Jr ( December 21, 1908 &ndash March 17, 2002) was a former radio advertising executive who was Sigourney Weaver (born October 8, 1949) is an Academy Award -nominated American actress, best known for her roles as Lt Imogene Fernandez de Coca ( November 18[[ 908]] – June 2[[ 001]] was an American Emmy -winning comic actress best known for her role opposite The Friday show, simultaneously broadcast on NBC and the Dumont network, was an immediate success but its sponsor, Admiral Corporation, an appliance company, could not keep up with the demand for its new television sets, so the show was cancelled on account of its runaway success.

On February 23, 1950, Caesar appeared in the first episode of Your Show of Shows, a Saturday night ninety-minute variety program produced by Max Liebman whose premier featured Burgess Meredith as guest host, and other musical guests Gertrude Lawrence, Lily Pons, and Robert Merrill. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Your Show of Shows was a live 90-minute Sketch comedy Television series appearing weekly in the United States on NBC, from 1950 Oliver Burgess Meredith ( November 16, 1908 He graduated from Hoosac School in 1926 Gertrude Lawrence (July 4 1898 - September 6 1952 was an English actress and musical comedy performer whose work spanned from the 1920s to the 1950s Lily Pons ( April 12, 1898 &ndash February 13, 1976) was a French - American Coloratura soprano. Robert Merrill ( June 4, 1917 &ndash October 23, 2004) was an American Operatic Baritone. The show launched Caesar into instant stardom and was a mix of scripted and improvised comedy, movie and television satires, Caesar's inimitable double-talk monologues, top musical guests, and large production numbers. The impressive guest list included: Jackie Cooper, Robert Preston, Rex Harrison, Eddie Albert, Michael Redgrave, Basil Rathbone, Charleton Heston, Geraldine Page, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Pearl Bailey, Fred Allen, Benny Goodman, Lena Horne and many other big stars of the time. Jackie Cooper (born September 15 1922 is an American Academy Award -nominated Actor, Emmy Award -winning TV director, and TV Sir Reginald “Rex” Carey Harrison (5 March 1908 - 2 June 1990 was an English Academy Award and Tony Award -winning Theatre and Edward Albert Heimberger ( April 22, 1906 &ndash May 26, 2005) better known as Eddie Albert, was an American Actor Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave CBE ( 20 March, 1908 — 21 March, 1985) was an English actor author director and Basil Rathbone, MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967 was a South African-born English Actor most famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4 1923 &ndash April 5 2008) was an American Actor of Geraldine Sue Page ( November 22, 1924 – June 13, 1987) was an American actress Douglas Elton Fairbanks Jr, KBE, DSC ( December 9, 1909 &ndash May 7, 2000) was an American Actor Pearl Mae Bailey ( March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress Fred Allen (born John Florence Sullivan May 31 1894 - March 17, 1956) was an American Comedian whose absurdist Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (born June 30, 1917) is an iconic American singer and Actress. It was also responsible for bringing together one of the best comedy teams in television history: Sid, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and Imogene Coca. Carl Reiner (born March 20, 1922) is an American Actor, Film director, producer, Writer and Comedian Howard "Howie" Morris ( September 4, 1919 &ndash May 21, 2005) was an American comic Actor and Imogene Fernandez de Coca ( November 18[[ 908]] – June 2[[ 001]] was an American Emmy -winning comic actress best known for her role opposite Many prominent writers, denizens of the famed Writer's Room, also got their start creating the show's madcap sketches, including Lucille Kallen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Michael Stewart, Mel Tolkin, and Larry Gelbart. Mel Brooks (born Melvin Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American director, Writer, Composer, Lyricist Marvin Neil Simon (born July 4, 1927 in The Bronx, New York City) is an American Playwright and Screenwriter Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; December 1 1935 is an American Film director, Writer, Actor, Comedian, and Michael Stewart may refer to Michael Stewart Baron Stewart of Fulham, British Cabinet Minister Michael Stewart (playwright, playwright Mel Tolkin, né Shmuel Tolchinsky ( August 3, 1913 &ndash November 26, 2007) of the seminal live TV Sketch comedy series Larry Simon Gelbart (born February 25, 1928) is an American Comedy Writer and playwright with over sixty years of credits Sid Caesar won his first Emmy in 1952. In 1951 and 1952, he was voted the United States' Best Comedian by Motion Picture Daily's TV poll. The show ended after 160 episodes on June 5, 1954. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar)

Just a few months later, Sid Caesar returned with Caesar's Hour, a one-hour sketch show with Morris, Reiner, a young Bea Arthur, and much of the seasoned crew. Caesar's Hour was a Television program that aired on NBC from 1954 until 1957. Nanette Fabray replaced Imogene Coca who left to star in her own short-lived series. Nanette Fabray (born October 27, 1920) is an American actress Imogene Fernandez de Coca ( November 18[[ 908]] – June 2[[ 001]] was an American Emmy -winning comic actress best known for her role opposite Ultimate creative and technical control was now totally in Caesar's hands. The show moved to the larger Century Theater, which allowed longer, more sophisticated productions and the weekly budget doubled to $125,000. The premier on September 27, 1954 featured Gina Lollobrigida. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Gina Lollobrigida (born July 4, 1927 in Subiaco Italy) is a Golden Globe Award -winning Italian Actress and Photojournalist

Contemporary movies, foreign movies, theater, television shows and even opera all became targets of satire by the writing team, whose frenetic and competitive spirit produced some of the best comedy in television history. Often the publicity generated by the sketches boosted the box office of the original productions. Some notable sketches included: From Here to Obscurity (From Here to Eternity), Aggravation Boulevard (Sunset Boulevard), Hat Basterson (Bat Masterson), and No West For the Wicked (Stagecoach). From Here to Eternity is a 1953 Drama film based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. Sunset Boulevard is a 1950 American Film noir classic Directed and co-written by Billy Wilder, it was named Bat Masterson is an American Western Television series which showed a fictionalized account of the life of real-life marshal/gambler/dandy Stagecoach is a 1966 Remake of the 1939 John Ford western Stagecoach. Even silent movies were parodied, which showed off the impressive pantomime skills of the entire ensemble. They also performed some recurring sketches. "The Hickenloopers" were television's first bickering couple, predating The Honeymooners. The Honeymooners debuted as a half-hour series on October 1 1955. In "The Professor", Caesar was the daffy expert who bluffed his way through his interviews with earnest roving reporter Carl Reiner. Carl Reiner (born March 20, 1922) is an American Actor, Film director, producer, Writer and Comedian In its various incarnations, "The Professor" could be Gut von Fraidykat (mountain-climbing expert), Ludwig von Spacebrain (space expert), or Ludwig von Henpecked (marriage expert). Later, "The Professor" evolved into the Mel Brooks' famous "The Two Thousand Year Old Man".

Everything was performed live including the commercials, which only took up seven minutes of the one hour show, as compared to today's shows which average about 22 minutes of commercials per hour. Famous Hollywood movie stars (or their agents) clamored to be on the show but in reality doing a sketch in one shot with no cue cards and minimal rehearsal time was a challenge for many of the famous stars used to languid preparation and numerous retakes.

In his book Caesar's Hours, Caesar describes the essence of his comedy as 'working both sides of the street', the deliberate blending of comedy and pathos in the tradition of the great comedians of the Twenties and Thirties--his idols Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton, and W. C. Fields. Laurel and Hardy were the popular American -based comedy team of thin British-born Stan Laurel (1890-1965 and heavy American-born Oliver Hardy (1892-1957 Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton ( October 4 1895 &ndash February 1 1966) was an Academy Award -winning American W C Fields ( January 29, 1880 &ndash December 25, 1946) was an American Juggler, Comedian, and Actor His sympathetic portrayal of the follies and foibles of his characters resonated with a weekly live audience of over 60 million Americans. He was a master of impeccable timing, careful preparation, and quick-witted flexibility, relying heavily on an endless variety of rapidly changing facial expressions and a strong physical presence. Though by nature shy, Caesar reveled in his characters. The most difficult moment of the show for Caesar was the opening, when he had to say 'good evening ladies and gentlemen'.

Caesar's Hour was followed by Sid Caesar Invites You, reuniting Caesar and Coca, and in 1963 with the The Sid Caesar Show, which alternated with Edie Adams in Here's Edie. Caesar's Hour was a Television program that aired on NBC from 1954 until 1957. Edie Adams (born April 16 1927) is an American singer Broadway, television and film actress Caesar also teamed up with Edie Adams in the Broadway show Little Me, a successful Neil Simon play, with choreography by Bob Fosse and music by Cy Coleman in which Sid played eight parts with 32 costume changes. Little Me was the parody "confessional" self-indulgent autobiography of "Belle Poitrine" (French for "Pretty Bosom" Marvin Neil Simon (born July 4, 1927 in The Bronx, New York City) is an American Playwright and Screenwriter Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse ( June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American Musical theater Choreographer and For the fictional principal Seymour Kaufman see Room 222. Cy Coleman ( June 14, 1929 - November 18, 2004) was an American Caesar also had a role in the mega-movie-comedy It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a 1963 American Comedy film directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350000

Later years

Throughout the 70s and 80s, Caesar continued to make occasional television and night club appearances and starred in several movies including Silent Movie, History of the World, Part I, Airport 1975 and as "Coach Calhoun" in Grease and its sequel, Grease 2, in 1982. Silent Movie is a 1976 Comedy film directed by and starring Mel Brooks. History of the World Part I is a 1981 Film written produced and directed by Mel Brooks. Airport 1975 is a 1974 Disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 hit Airport. Grease is a film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Jim Jacobs ' and Warren Casey 's musical, Grease Grease 2 is the 1982 Sequel to the 1978 smash hit Grease. The movie was strongly criticized by many as derivative In 1973, Sid and Max Liebman mined their own personal kinescopes from Your Show of Shows (NBC had 'lost' the studio copies) and they produced a feature film Ten From Your Show of Shows, a hilarious compilation of some of their best sketches. Kinescope (ˈkɪnɨskoʊp originally referred to the Cathode ray tube used in Television receivers as named by inventor Vladimir Zworykin in 1929 Your Show of Shows was a live 90-minute Sketch comedy Television series appearing weekly in the United States on NBC, from 1950 In 1977, after blanking out during a stage performance of Neil Simon's The Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Sid gave up alcohol 'cold turkey'. Marvin Neil Simon (born July 4, 1927 in The Bronx, New York City) is an American Playwright and Screenwriter The Last of the Red Hot Lovers is a play by Neil Simon. At the comedy's core is Barney Cashman a middle-aged His autobiography, Where Have I Been, published in 1983 and his second book, Caesar's Hours, both chronicle his struggle to overcome alcoholism and barbiturates.

Although advancing in age, Caesar has remained active by appearing in movies, television shows, at award shows and autograph signings. In 1997, he made a guest appearance in National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation and The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit in 1998 based on a Ray Bradbury novel. Vegas Vacation (sometimes referred as National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation) is a 1997 Comedy film. The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit is a 1998 Film set in East Los Angeles directed by Stuart Gordon, written by Ray Bradbury and starring Ray Douglas Bradbury (born August 22 1920 is an American mainstream, Fantasy, horror, Science fiction and mystery Also that year, Caesar joined fellow television icons Bob Hope and Milton Berle at the 50th anniversary of the Primetime Emmy Awards where the three were greeted with a long standing ovation. Bob Hope, KBE KCSG ( May 29, 1903 &ndash July 27, 2003) was an American comedian and actor who appeared in Mendel "Milton Berle" Berlinger ( July 12, 1908 &ndash March 27, 2002) was an Emmy -winning American Comedian The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American Primetime Television He reprised his famous double-talk skit in an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 2001. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (abbreviated to Whose Line? or WLIIA) was a short-form Improvisational comedy TV show In 2003, he joined Edie Adams and Marvin Kaplan at a 40th anniversary celebration for It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. Edie Adams (born April 16 1927) is an American singer Broadway, television and film actress Marvin Kaplan (born January 24, 1924 in Brooklyn New York) is a character actor and Voice artist. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a 1963 American Comedy film directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350000 [1] In 2004, Caesar's second autobiography, 'Caesar's Hours', was published, and in March 2006, Caesar was presented with the 'Pioneer Award' at the 2006 TV Land Awards. The TV Land Awards are American television awards that generally commemorate shows now off the air rather than in current production as with awards such as the Emmys Although appearing quite frail, Caesar performed his famous double-talk for over five minutes. [2]

Awards

Year Award (number) Result
1987 Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy –
2005 DVDX Award Won
1997 Emmy Award Nominated
1995 Emmy Award Nominated
1958 Emmy Award Nominated
1957 Emmy Award Won
1956 Emmy Award Nominated
1954 Emmy Award Nominated
1953 Emmy Award Nominated
1952 Emmy Award Nominated / Won
1951 Emmy Award Nominated
2006 Pioneer Award –
2001 Career Achievement Award –
Unknown Star on the Walk of Fame –

Further reading

External links

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