Friday, June 06, 2008

RIP Saint Harvey

Brothers, Sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere,

This week we lost another one. Harvey Korman is with the Cosmic Comic now, having passed away from an aneurysm.

He was a bit player on The Danny Kaye Show and the voice of the Great Gazoo on The Flinstones, but his big break was as Tim Conway's partner on The Carol Burnett Show where he was the very spirit of the show. The beauty of Carol Burnett was that the break-ups were live and part of action. You knew they were having fun and that was part of the joy of the program and the first one to lose it was often Harvey Korman. You watched Harvey waiting to see if he would keep it together, especially when Tim Conway was working him over hard. You knew how much he loved Conway and we all have that friend who just cracks us up. It was quintessentially human.

The two would try to replicate that chemistry on the short lived Tim Conway Show, but to many of us it was Harvey Korman's work with Mel Brooks for which he will always be remembered. He was masterful as Hedy Lamarr (THAT'S HEDLY!) and in High Anxiety and History of the World, Part I.

Often cast as a bad guy, he was well-thought of in real life. Here is far and away my favorite:What are your favorite Harvey Korman moments?

Rest in peace, Harvey and thank you for all the laughs.

Live, laugh, and love,

Irreverend Steve