Help needed to identify vintage comedy recordings

Hi all,

I recently discovered at a flee market and 1965 Akai x-100d reel to reel player with 24 tapes. Anyway, I'm slowly working my way through them and there are many recordings of comedy sketches.

In the main, I'm unable to identify them, but most appear to be British radio recordings so I've started a series of videos on one of my channels playing a few minutes from each recording to see if anybody recognises them. I hope you will take a look (and listen) to the first here and let me know your ideas )

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rm8BlTl--w

Best regards, and enjoy,

Steve

Phil Silvers?

Quote: Pingl @ December 18 2012, 4:09 PM GMT

Phil Silvers?

View original

That's what I thought it could be after listening to a while, but I'm no expert so thought I'd put it up. You never know, if it is him, somebody may know the recording )

I'm pretty sure it is not Phil Silvers (voice not high pitched enough) and sounds as those it was recorded at one of those Jewish hotel/cabaret summer shows from one of the Borscht Belt ( or Jewish Alps as it was lovingly called) resorts in the Catskill Mountains.

Sorry to not be more positive, but my suggestions for voice comparison would be:-

Sid Caesar, Red Skelton, Art Carney, Jackie Gleason, Shelley Berman or Milton Berle OR (unfortunately!!) a resident comedian who never made it big.

Need to hear a lot more of the tape please!

I also thought it sounded like Phil Silvers. But I know bugger all about that era of comedy. (Not very useful.)

I do know Silvers had his own radio show, possibly from that? But there were a large number of comics of that type around at the time, it's pretty hard to tell from that short clip.

The voice sounds a little like Henny Youngman, but the jokes aren't quickfire enough, or sharp enough.

George Jessel? Not sure ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07iv2TDhjvI

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ December 18 2012, 5:27 PM GMT

I'm pretty sure it is not Phil Silvers (voice not high pitched enough) and sounds as those it was recorded at one of those Jewish hotel/cabaret summer shows from one of the Borscht Belt ( or Jewish Alps as it was lovingly called) resorts in the Catskill Mountains.

Sorry to not be more positive, but my suggestions for voice comparison would be:-

Sid Caesar, Red Skelton, Art Carney, Jackie Gleason, Shelley Berman or Milton Berle OR (unfortunately!!) a resident comedian who never made it big.

Need to hear a lot more of the tape please!

View original

Ok, what I'll do is in a few days, record the whole thing. It will be in video format, but I'll run the sound into teh laptop then clear it up a bit )

Quote: fasty @ December 18 2012, 7:00 PM GMT

George Jessel? Not sure ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07iv2TDhjvI

View original

Hmm, not sure, he sounds more nasally 9 Gonna record the whole show and stick it up in a few days to give a better idea )

Quote: Pingl @ December 18 2012, 5:40 PM GMT

I do know Silvers had his own radio show, possibly from that? But there were a large number of comics of that type around at the time, it's pretty hard to tell from that short clip.

The voice sounds a little like Henny Youngman, but the jokes aren't quickfire enough, or sharp enough.

View original

Just been listening to other sections and he does that drawn out bit that silvers did but gonna put the whole thing up in a few days so people can listen )

Milton Berle?

Doesn't sound like Silvers to me.

Quote: Badge @ December 18 2012, 9:54 PM GMT

Milton Berle?

Doesn't sound like Silvers to me.

View original

I think I covered Milton Berle in my "spread bet" , and now you've mentioned him again, I think you are probably right.

Glad you agree with me on it not being Phil Silvers. I have one of his TV shows on DVD and the patter is much quicker, as he was known for in Bilko of course.

(Thinks) Is Agnes Guano ill?

A little poorly perhaps...

I really don't know!

The new girl at the airplane factory thought a tail assembly was a company picnic.

Got to be an American audience to get a laugh with that.

A quick search reveals someone attributing the joke to Bob Hope.
Bob accused Milton Berle of stealing his jokes.

A definite possibility. I don't tend to acquire many US recordings, though a few do creep in. I picked up a load of Belle Barth and Joe Perham records last weekend from a friend and I think even without listening to them that they aren't responsible.

You may want to enquire at the missing episodes forum: http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=radio

They might be able to identify the shows and tell you if they exist in the archives.