Travel with us back in time to a Catskills resort in the 1950s. You’re having a great time and notice that the featured stand-up comic is also the emcee, the game leader, and the campfire host. That was the mark of a “tummler” — Yiddish for an all around entertainer who kept the energy high. And, if you were lucky, your tummler might have been the great Jan Murray who became a fixture on television variety, talk, and game shows as well as the standup stage from the 1950s through the 1980s. You can find a podcast version of our show at Apple or Spotify or at laughtracksradio.podbean.com. Thanks for watching!
Want more Jan Murray?
Like all top comics back in the day, Jan graced the stage of the Ed Sullivan show. This clip from 1963 is a great introduction to his style and comedic tone. https://youtu.be/yu88lOnNf6o
Jan Murray’s quick wit earned him a lot of game show minutes, both as a guest (Hollywood Squares, The Match Game) and as a host. This clip comes from The Treasure Hunt game show that Jan hosted (as well as being the creator and producer) in the late 1950s. Here Jan plays off a contestant who thought it a good idea to bring her pet monkey to the taping. https://youtu.be/Y4GaKuwZzB4
Back in the 1960s, The Hollywood Palace tv variety show was the place to be for comics and Jan Murray was a favorite guest. Here is a clip of Jan doing his thing. We’ve started the clip at Jan’s segment, but if you have time this is a great time capsule of 1960’s variety television (with some great ads as well). https://youtu.be/FxKIKF-kVPo?t=1109
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