Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan
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  • STAND-UP COMEDY
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Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan’s lifelong love of comedy was kindled when they met more than 40 years ago in graduate school in Seattle. While managing family and professional work responsibilities, they hosted a one hour comedy radio program on Saturday mornings for 10 years on a small radio station in Olympia, WA and also co-authored two books on northwest popular culture – Seattle on Film (1995) and Wet and Wired (2000). Stuck at home during the early days of the pandemic with hundreds of comedy albums, cassettes and CD’s gathering dust on their shelves, they launched Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy in May 2020, a weekly mini-program featuring a different comedy icon, with biographical bits and a nice slice of the comedy that made them famous. From standup stars, to stellar sketch teams, to novelty music maestros -- they are all part of our Legends.

  1. 5D AGO

    Arte Johnson

    Anyone who came of age in the late 1960s is bound to have a soft spot in their comedy heart for Arte Johnson, a versatile comic and master of dialects who boarded the fame express when he joined the cast of Rowan and Martin's Laugh In. Originally pursuing Broadway roles, Arte saw the future in the television industry and decamped for Los Angeles in the mid 1950s. He build a resume of guest spots before landing his Laugh In role in 1968. He played over 60 characters on Laugh In, including some (such as an observant German soldier, a doddering dirty old man, and a Russian named Rosmenko who could sing, dance, or joke about America. After Laugh In, Arte settled into a fine career of sitcoms, variety shows, game shows and audiobook readings. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Arte? Here's an assignment most would shrink from -- teach Jack Benny how to tell a joke. But for Arte, it was just another day working the boom microphone. https://youtu.be/HROeLKVAQIQ?si=QyKiplnRAd58TREV A master of dialects, Arte created a Russian character named Rosmenko -- not sure a word of actual Russian was spoken, but this version of Mack the Knife (also featuring Bobby Darin) is a gem. https://youtu.be/43I1zrL3FgE?si=YzikSt_QFTR6sf2v Arte had many standout characters on Laugh In and one of the best was Tyrone Horneigh who would attempt to seduce women (principally Ruth Buzzi's Gladys Ormphby) with typically bad (for Tyrone at least) results. https://youtu.be/E2IF8HejE1w?si=31DeDx2zZAuupL8w

    4 min

  2. APR 28

    Cloris Leachman

    In the 1970s and 80s you couldn't go to the movies without running into this week's legend Cloris Leachman. While the Oscar that catapulted her to stardom was for a drama (The Last Picture Show), here we remember her for bushels of laughs, expertly delivered on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Phyllis spinoff, and in some of Mel Brooks' classic films (notably Young Frankenstein). After that burst of activity, Cloris continued on with movie and television guest roles, picking up more Emmy awards along the way. A member of the Television Hall of Fame, Cloris also has a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Stop by sometime and say "Blucher" - you just might hear a horse off in the distance. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows. Want more Cloris? When Cloris joined the cast of the Mary Tyler Moore Show she brought just the right mix of snark, snobbery, and sweet to the role of Phyllis Lindstrom. https://youtu.be/Gw2GOvsd3Sg?si=l-WJcrCe2MvSeMB6 We mentioned the great bit about Frau Blucher that ran throughout Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein. And here it is! https://youtu.be/nx8LjVmoSZk?si=DrlyiU_5_ZGuFvaA Later in her career Cloris had a recurring role on Malcolm in the Middle, picking up two Emmy's along the way. https://www.reddit.com/.../one_of_the_great_scenes.../...

    4 min

  3. APR 21

    Stephen Colbert

    This time out we honor Stephen Colbert whose amazing career has seen him conquer the worlds of improv comedy, avant-garde sitcoms, avant garde sketch comedy (including one of tv's greatest comedy bombs), The Daily Show (and his own spinoff), and a late night talk show. Not bad for a kid from South Carolina who says he was an indifferent student -- we disagree, at least when it comes to comedy. And, if you want to see Stephen in talk show mode, act fast -- CBS is ending its longtime late night show May 21. But with 11 Emmys, 2 Grammys, and a Peabody Award under his belt, we suspect that Stephen won't stay idle for long. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Colbert? Stephen had a key role in creating the cult fave sitcom Strangers with Candy, also playing a science teacher who has strayed from the path. https://youtu.be/6uPEeV5Ep2U?si=oQfffmM0_PoqHwUG After several years on the Daily Show adopting the persona of a conservative talk show host, Stephen scored a spinoff -- The Colbert Report -- that ran for almost a decade. https://youtu.be/MBPgXjkfBXM?si=6Xrip-JJY89c50KO Given his many comedy personas over the years no one quite knew when to expect when Stephen took the helm of the Late Show from David Letterman. We need not have worried -- he was made for the gig. https://youtu.be/_642piuR-Pw?si=j-prXZYTPS8M-yZ6

    4 min

  4. APR 14

    Marty Feldman

    The eyes have it -- at least they do if you are Marty Feldman who came of comedy age along with the Pythons and other masters of British absurdity. Starting off as a comedy writer, Marty soon found roles in front of the camera as well with turns in "At Last the 1948 Show" and his own shows "Marty" and "The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine". And if you don't know him from those, how about his delightful turn as Igor in Mel Brooks' masterpiece "Young Frankenstein". A chain smoker for most of his life, Marty passed on far too soon, but he leaves a most impressive body of work -- and one more time -- those eyes! As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Marty? Marty's eyes were the subject of a novelty hit by comedian Bruce "Baby-man" Baum. Here's Marty Feldman Eyes. https://youtu.be/k-Wb80MW6c4?si=Rr30BrFVUTLu3r-T As head writer for the Frost Report Marty was at the forefront of British satire in the 1960s. Here's a very pointed sketch he penned about the British class system. https://fb.watch/Gu53QDMWUo/   At Last the 1948 Show teamed up Marty with other future legends Graham Chapman and John Cleese -- along with other British comedy luminaries. Here's Marty in a role often played later by Michael Palin and John Cleese slow burning as only he can. https://fb.watch/Gu50pQvIX6/   Marty had a huge breakout moment as Igor in Mel Brooks's Young Frankenstein. Just make sure you pronounce it correctly! https://youtu.be/F8BvfHSjwqw?si=JhCk41xm8iKR_Ani

    4 min

  5. APR 7

    Roy Wood Jr

    One of the delights of Trevor Noah's stint as Daily Show host was the prominent work of correspondent Roy Wood Jr., a comic who started his career making prank phone calls and who has risen to host his own CNN news quiz, as well as becoming a top standup draw and award show host. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Roy's dad was a black radio pioneer and broadcasting entrepreneur. So it was no surprise that Roy would take up the family trade starting out as part of a Morning Zoo show in Birmingham. Over time Roy gained visibility, especially after a 2010 stint on Last Comic Standing. In 2015 Roy was tapped as a Daily Show correspondent and his chemistry with Trevor Noah was a highlight of the show, which was a perfect showcase for Roy's comedy style which Entertainment Weekly called "charismatic crankiness." When Trevor Noah departed the Daily Show it looked for a time that Roy might get the nod but when that didn't happen Roy pivoted and became host of Have I Got News for You -- a CNN adaptation of a British news quiz with comedians making up the panel. That show, award show hosting gigs, and sold out comedy tours keep Roy busy these days. And if you ever need help getting more sauce for your chicken nuggets Roy is your man -- it's all explained in this week's show. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows. Want more Roy Wood Jr? Roy was one of the highlights of Trevor Noah's stint as Daily Show host. This bit on world history shows why. https://youtu.be/EWX0bbGAd0k?si=c8LlAI6bJJLzWPeu Roy's current gig is hosting CNN's news quiz Have I Got News for You, a fun stroll through the headlines. https://youtu.be/2xdgL5_xj-I?si=XTcELti6IHKeVkUw Roy is a superb satirist, but he also takes on the frustration of every day life -- like getting enough chicken nugget sauce. https://youtu.be/8qj0BcuRPoc?si=yTxYPsAALpwNRZTZ

    4 min

  6. MAR 24

    W.C. Fields

    Hide the kids and hide the dogs -- the curmudgeon to end all curmudgeons is here. We're talking about William Claude Dukenfield -- better known to comedy fans as W.C. Fields. From his start as a juggler in vaudeville shows, Fields added comedy to his act. Over time, he developed the comedy persona of a con artist who had a particular aversion to kids and dogs. Fields would often recycle old vaudeville bits in his movies, and woe be unto anyone he caught "nibbling" at his routines. In the late 1930s and early 1940s he was at the top of his game but a real-life drinking problem made him unreliable and the film offers stopped arriving. Toward the end of his life he was persuaded to record a couple of monologues which turned out to be his only recordings. But W.C. still has a following today -- just visit his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and surely someone will be saying "go away kid. . . you're bothering me." As always find extra clips below, and thanks for sharing our shows!   Want more W.C. Fields?   This is short but sweet -- WC (with Shemp Howard) looking for a lost $20 bill. https://youtu.be/t9bFgMb48_w?si=HgueolSsZOKPrgvl   WC Fields and Mae West are linked in our comedy minds thought they only appeared together once due do disputes over top billing. Here's the trailer to My Little Chickadee. https://youtu.be/x_Vp23EpguY?si=RRNe0Rh5jEk1BK91   The Temperance Lecture is WC Fields' only comedy recording. Made at the end of his life it finds him in great voice on a topic he loves dearly. https://youtu.be/0YgZRtuMSdE?si=tDBMJqo94i7kit4G

    4 min

  7. MAR 17

    Chris Elliott

    For a guy whose sitcom was called "Get a Life", we think that Chris Elliott has done pretty darn well. The son of legendary comedian Bob Elliott (of Bob and Ray fame), Chris has carved out his own niche playing slightly surreal and snarky characters. Beginning on Late Night with David Letterman, Chris was the focus of many recurring gags including him being a guy who lives under the theater seats. But he was above ground in the Fox sitcom Get A Life, playing an oblivious man-child who lives above his parents' garage. With movie roles including Cabin Boy and Groundhog Day plus recurring tv gigs including Everybody Loves Raymond and Schitt's Creek, Chris is staying plenty busy flying the Elliott comedy flag. And, oh yes, for those scoring at home Abby Elliott of the hit show The Bear is his daughter. Not bad for a guy who most of us first discovered living under David Letterman's seats. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Chris Elliott? Cabin Boy saw Chris make the leap to the big screen, though the movie didn't score with critics or mainstream moviegoers. It still retains a cult audience thanks to weird scenes like this. https://youtu.be/UFcc1rf4NiU?si=lnHjVvV6l-fpJpm7 Chris was a regular on Late Night with David Letterman playing many oddball roles. Here is where they introduce Dave to the "guy under the seats." https://youtu.be/VB7h8D8fZPc?si=rF-nMPFm5RbTCsQS Chris starred in Get A Life, an edgy comedy in which he played an oblivious man-child who lives about his parents' garage. And for bonus points, his TV dad is played by his real dad, comedy legend Bob Elliott. https://youtu.be/IQv_Ol5QxEg?si=bw6WjyxeYT15g1HK Chris Elliott's latest triumph is a spin as Roland Schitt, mayor of Schitt's Creek and foil to Eugene Levy's Johnny Rose. Here's a fun clip of Chris in "inaction". https://youtu.be/AWzRgDPDC6M?si=wCjf5jvdC9NW8Gq4

    4 min

  8. MAR 10

    The Monkees

    Back in the mid-1960s American television networks were trying to get with the youth scene, and a big part of that scene was the British Invasion. So NBC said "we'll call your Beatles, Animals, Stones, and Kinks -- and raise you some Monkees. Recruited as actors more than musicians, at the time, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork were put down as the "prefab four" -- a wholly made for television creation. But they were a smash and over the years have gained respect as prime purveyors of power pop. The Monkees TV show lasted just a couple of years -- and some of the efforts that followed didn't connect with an audience (the movie Head for specifics). The Monkees were largely forgotten until MTV came around in the mid-1980s and decided that the original Monkees TV show was just the thing to put on the new music network. Comeback tours and albums followed as a new generation discovered the Monkees. Micky Dolenz is now the last Monkee standing, but he carries the flag proudly performing around the country in his Monkees Celebration shows. Happy sellout crowds are the result -- now just who were they calling "Pre-Fab" way back when? As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Monkees? OK, if you are over the age of 50 this song should be burned into your brain.https://youtu.be/ujzyXArvM_g?si=BiyFLD_194lyPOtB Here's a complete episode from The Monkees show -- each episode contained an early form of music video, no doubt part of what made MTV take interest. https://dai.ly/xskyj5 Head stands a a curious piece of late 1960's surrealistic comedy. The audience scratched its head as the Monkees seemed to revel in tearing down their safe image. A few fine cameos helped the process along. https://youtu.be/ZPQpsipHKU8?si=3moATd9Mg9TYNFCi The Monkees have been likened to a rock and roll Marx Brothers with zany comedy taking center stage. And even after their show was cancelled, the Monkees still found places to shine -- including Rowan and Martin's Laugh In.https://youtu.be/TuAD5RU55eQ?si=ErCNEOSDMtoHWxTt

    4 min
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About

Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan’s lifelong love of comedy was kindled when they met more than 40 years ago in graduate school in Seattle. While managing family and professional work responsibilities, they hosted a one hour comedy radio program on Saturday mornings for 10 years on a small radio station in Olympia, WA and also co-authored two books on northwest popular culture – Seattle on Film (1995) and Wet and Wired (2000). Stuck at home during the early days of the pandemic with hundreds of comedy albums, cassettes and CD’s gathering dust on their shelves, they launched Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy in May 2020, a weekly mini-program featuring a different comedy icon, with biographical bits and a nice slice of the comedy that made them famous. From standup stars, to stellar sketch teams, to novelty music maestros -- they are all part of our Legends.

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