Charlie Callas Dies

[filkertom]

In the dictionary, under "zany", there should be a picture of Charlie Callas, a fine impressionist, a very good actor,, a human sound effects machine, and one of the zaniest comedians ever. Unforgettable, very, very funny. Sadness, as Mr. Callas has passed away at the age of either 83 or 86, depending on which source you go by. If you never saw him in action, here's just a taste:

Comments

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Hilarious stuff; remember it well and love it still.

But unfortunately, he could never get away with that stuff now; the PC people would be all over him for making fun of people with disabilities.

Hell, they're even trying to take nigger out of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn which just fries my shorts.

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Callas did a lot with Mel Brooks. Another actor who did a lot with Brooks, Bruce Gordon, died a few days ago on January 20.

Callas played himself in the film Amazon Women on the Moon.

[amgem.livejournal.com]

I remember seeing him in his bit part in History of the World, Part I.

Thank you for posting this, Tom. <3

[unclekage.livejournal.com]

You are going...to....ROME!

"But I am in Rome!"

Do I lie???

[bentleywg.livejournal.com]

I don't remember if I ever saw him do stand-up, but I remember him a lot from watching him on Switch. (Eddie Albert, Robert Wagner, Sharon Gless, and Charlie Callas. What a cast.)

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

You sir, are going... To ROME!

[phillip2637.livejournal.com]

The first time I ever saw him on TV he was doing hilarious things with a drum kit, making himself look clumsy and incompetent in a way that's only possible if the performer is really skilled. Though I enjoyed his other acts when I saw them, drumming is my strongest association with his comedy.

[sdelmonte]

A funny man.

But possibly the single worst casting choice ever to play Sinestro. As was done in the intentionally campy DC super-heroes specials from the 70s. And also the first time I ever encountered him. Strange how that works sometimes.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

But somehow, it fits with the Adam West Batman, don't you think?

I was going to say that that Callas was the first person ever cast as Sinestro, but IMDB says that he was the second.

[wildcard9.livejournal.com]

I loved watching the reaction of the other comedians in the video you posted, as well as him roasting Frank Sinatra and Don Rickles that came up after the linked video ended. THAT is the sign of someone who really is funny, when the other comedians have tears in their eyes from laughing so much.

[terriwells.livejournal.com]

This is the first time I've ever seen this guy, that I know of. I've probably seen him in other things without realizing that it was him. From the routine here, I have to wonder if he influenced Robin Williams.