This Day in Humor with Mike Durrett


Born 1897: Arthur Ripley, crafted scripts with Frank Capra for silent movie star Harry Langdon at Mack Sennett's studio and later for Langdon on his own. Ripley contributed gags to two-reel comedies throughout the '30s and '40s. He also directed, most notably, in comedy, the W.C. Fields' shorts "The Barbershop" and "The Pharmacist" in 1933. His final film, after a long screen absence, was "Thunder Road," (1958), not a comedy, but a major cult success for Robert Mitchum. Died 1961.

Born 1902: Joe E. Lewis, popular nightclub singer and comedian -- and a famous drinker. Quote: "You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Died 1971.

1926: "Sam 'n' Henry" premiered on Chicago's WGN radio. The program, created by and starring Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, evolved into "Amos 'n' Andy," running until 1948 and jumping to television in 1951.

Born 1954: Howard Stern, the self-proclaimed "King of All Media." Not exactly true, but in contemporary radio, he's hard to beat. Gleefully raunchy, no-topics-taboo approach made him a heavyweight and an entertainment trendsetter. Although his TV results have been mixed, he's a best-selling author and hit movie star for his autobiography, "Private Parts."

Born 1955: Kirstie Alley, Emmy-winning actress during her stint on "Cheers" as Rebecca Howe (1987-93). Feature film comedy roles topped by "Look Who's Talking" (1989).

Born 1957: John Lasseter, Academy Award-winning animator, whose numerous credits include directing "Toy Story," "Toy Story 2," and "A Bug's Life."

1966: "Batman," played for laughs, premiered on ABC. Campy Adam West and Burt Ward were the Caped Crusaders with guest villains in each episode.

1971: "All in the Family" debuted on CBS-TV. Starring Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner, the controversial sitcom was a landmark program for broadcast humor, using in-your-face confrontations to skewer bigotry and politics.

Copyright ©2003 Mike Durrett. All rights reserved.