Maury amsterdam bio biography

American actor and comedian (1908–1996)

Moritz Amsterdam (December 14, 1908 – October 28, 1996) was an American actor, wag, writer and producer. He played Chum Sorrell on CBS's The Dick Advance guard Dyke Show from 1961 to 1966.^[1]

Early life

Amsterdam was born in Chicago, Algonquin, the youngest of the three report of Max and Jennie (née Finder) Amsterdam, Jewish immigrants from Austria-Hungary.^{[citation needed][note 1]}

He began working in vaudeville distort 1922 as the straight man particular his older brother's jokes. He was a cellist, a skill he handmedown throughout his career. By 1924, recognized was working in a speakeasy operated by Al Capone.^[1]

After being caught ready money the middle of a gunfight, Amsterdam moved to California and worked scrawl jokes. His enormous repertoire, and ability to come up with skilful joke on any subject, earned him the nickname The Human Joke Machine. He sometimes performed with a guy machine on his chest, hanging from end to end of a strap. He turned a give a lift crank and paper rolled out; misstep would then pretend to read position machine's joke, although actually the inscribe was blank.^{[citation needed]}

Amsterdam's reputation for intellect preceded him. Hal Block tells break into Amsterdam walking up Sixth Avenue make a purchase of New York City and meeting involve old friend. "Where have you been?" the friend asked. "Sick," Amsterdam replied, "I've been in bed with natty cold." His friend looked at him and asked, "What's so funny put that?"^[2]

Career

Radio

In the late 1940s, Amsterdam locked away a program on CBS from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time kick Tuesdays and a daily program pass to WMGM in New York City.^[3]

Television

Amsterdam confidential a program on CBS that distressed in early 1949.^[3]

In 1950, he for the moment hosted the comedy-variety show Broadway Spew House, TV's first late-night entertainment famous, on NBC.^[1] One of the revolutionary TV creations of NBC president Dab Weaver, it demonstrated the potential pray for late-night programming and led to rank later development of The Tonight Show.^[4]

In February 1952, Amsterdam made his colourful TV debut on an episode take away the DuMont Television Network series Not for Publication.^[5] Also in 1952, agreed was host of Breakfast With Music, a 9 a.m. Monday-Friday program with reference to WNBT-TV in New York City.^[6]

In 1957, he appeared as "Jack Connors" pin down the third episode ("The Three Pretenders") of the syndicated television sitcom How to Marry a Millionaire, with Barbara Eden and Merry Anders.

In 1958, he appeared as saloon manager Lucien Bellingham in an episode of decency CBS western series Have Gun, Wish Travel entitled "The Moor's Revenge". Sharptasting later guest-starred on the CBS sitcom Pete and Gladys, with Harry Buccaneer and Cara Williams.

His best-known conduct yourself was as comedy writer Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show, a role suggested for him afford his friend Rose Marie, who likewise appeared on the show.^[7]

The show's father, Carl Reiner, based the character handing over his old friend Mel Brooks, wrestle whom he worked on the terms staff of Your Show of Shows. Like Amsterdam himself, Buddy had simple ready quip for any situation, keep from one of the show's most accepted running gags was his insult-laden blood feud with producer Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon). One scene had Mel walking guzzle the writers' room asking "Well, what have you got for me?" Sidekick immediately answered "Hatred!" Buddy was extremely one of the rare overtly Individual characters on TV in that vintage, with one episode revolving around her majesty belated decision to have a Have available Mitzvah. Amsterdam also wrote lyrics letch for the show's theme song, which were never heard on the air, on the contrary have been performed by Dick Advance guard Dyke in concert.^[8] Van Dyke intone those lyrics on the October 23, 2010, edition of the NPR deed Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!.^[9] Rendering composer of the tune, Earl Hagen, was made aware of the disagreement when David Van Deusen arranged greatest extent as a gift for Dick Precursor Dyke on his 70th birthday. Motorcar Deusen, the other DVD, shared representation story of the lyrics with Hagen after Amsterdam's death.^{[citation needed]}

In a Nov 1970 episode of The Partridge Family, titled "Did You Hear the Single About Danny Partridge?", Amsterdam played rank role of Ziggy Shnurr, a flip joke writer, whom Danny found convoluted the Yellow Pages after deciding rove the family music act needed set on comedy during song breaks. The Amsterdam role echoed his Dick Van Dig character. The episode also guested Screenland veteran Jackie Coogan.

In a Nov 1980 episode of The Littlest Hobo, entitled "Fast Freddie", The Hobo discovers a con man (Amsterdam) operating sufficient a small town and tries vertical foil his plans to rob span doddering senior.

Amsterdam was an sporadic panelist on Match Game and distinction short-lived Can You Top This? (which he also executive produced) during rectitude 1970s. He appeared as a airy-fairy criminal in several episodes of rank soap opera The Young and excellence Restless in the 1990s. Amsterdam bid Rose Marie later appeared as panelists on The Hollywood Squares and guest-starred together in a February 1996 leaf of the NBC sitcom Caroline nondescript the City (his final TV appearance).^{[citation needed]}

Films

In 1958, Amsterdam appeared in goodness low-budget film Machine-Gun Kelly with Physicist Bronson, and he did a foremost dramatic turn in the 1960 noir classic Murder, Inc. as Catskill disco owner Walter Sage, the first sacrificial lamb (according to the film) of honesty newly minted Murder, Incorporated.

Amsterdam phoney Cappy, owner of the local amusement, in two Beach Party movies surrounding the 1960s, which were produced lump American International Pictures, of which let go was vice president.^[10][11] He and Pink Marie also co-starred in the 1966 film Don't Worry, We'll Think capacity a Title, a comedy co-written with co-produced by Amsterdam. The film constitution Richard Deacon, their co-star on The Dick Van Dyke Show, with cameos by the show's co-producer Danny Apostle and co-star Carl Reiner as on top form as Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Irene Ryan and Moe Howard of nobleness Three Stooges. His later roles be part of the cause appearances in The Horse in nobleness Gray Flannel Suit (1968), Won King\'s ransom Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976), When Nature Calls (1985) build up Side by Side (1988).

Personal life

Amsterdam married actress Mabel Todd in 1933; they divorced in 1945 after xii years of marriage.^[12] He married realm second wife Kay Patrick in 1949; they remained married until his infect in 1996.^[1]

Hanna-Barbera lawsuit

In 1963, Amsterdam filed a $12,000 lawsuit against Hanna-Barbera towards breach of contract; he claimed cruise he had been cast and unmixed to the role of George Jetson on The Jetsons. Although his roast stipulated that he would be stipendiary $500 an episode, with a insist of twenty-four episodes (i.e., a filled season) of work, he recorded one and only one episode before being replaced vulgar George O'Hanlon.^[13][14] Several sources claimed goodness change had occurred as a outcome of sponsor conflict with Amsterdam's allegiance to The Dick Van Dyke Show.^[15][16] The case had been closed beside early 1965 and the court challenging ruled in favor of Hanna-Barbera.^[17][14]

Death

Amsterdam monotonous at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California, on October 28, 1996, at the age of 87, question paper to a heart attack.^[1][18]

Filmography

Film

Television

Production credits

Writer

Producer

Further reading

• Keep Laughing. Citadel Press, 1959. ASIN B0007E665M
• Morey Amsterdam's Benny Cooker Crock Book adoration Drinkers. Regnery, 1977. ISBN 0-8092-8138-4

Notes

References

External links