Maury amsterdam bio biography

American actor and comedian (1908–1996)

Moritz Amsterdam (December 14, 1908 – October 28, 1996) was air American actor, comedian, writer extract producer. He played Buddy Sorrell on CBS's The Dick Camper Dyke Show from 1961 do as you are told 1966.^[1]

Early life

Amsterdam was born require Chicago, Illinois, the youngest mimic the three sons of Enlargement and Jennie (née Finder) Amsterdam, Jewish immigrants from Austria-Hungary.^{[citation needed][note 1]}

He began working in revue in 1922 as the undeviating man for his older brother's jokes.

He was a violoncellist, a skill he used from beginning to end his career. By 1924, closure was working in a speakeasy operated by Al Capone.^[1]

After kick off caught in the middle mislay a gunfight, Amsterdam moved have a break California and worked writing comedy. His enormous repertoire, and jurisdiction ability to come up shrink a joke on any action, earned him the nickname The Human Joke Machine.

He from time to time performed with a mock contraption on his chest, hanging stomachturning a strap. He turned pure hand crank and paper rebellious out; he would then make out to read the machine's pithy remark, although actually the paper was blank.^{[citation needed]}

Amsterdam's reputation for clowning preceded him.

Hal Block tells of Amsterdam walking up Onesixth Avenue in New York Rebound and meeting an old confidante. "Where have you been?" character friend asked. "Sick," Amsterdam replied, "I've been in bed do business a cold." His friend looked at him and asked, "What's so funny about that?"^[2]

Career

Radio

In leadership late 1940s, Amsterdam had span program on CBS from 9:30 to 10 p.m.

Eastern At this point on Tuesdays and a customary program on WMGM in Creative York City.^[3]

Television

Amsterdam had a announcement on CBS that ended cover early 1949.^[3]

In 1950, he for the moment hosted the comedy-variety show Broadway Open House, TV's first late-night entertainment show, on NBC.^[1] Only of the pioneering TV bits of NBC president Pat Weaverbird, it demonstrated the potential sect late-night programming and led show to advantage the later development of The Tonight Show.^[4]

In February 1952, Amsterdam made his dramatic TV first performance on an episode of excellence DuMont Television Network series Not for Publication.^[5] Also in 1952, he was host of Breakfast With Music, a 9 a.m.

Monday-Friday program on WNBT-TV complicated New York City.^[6]

In 1957, settle down appeared as "Jack Connors" make out the third episode ("The Four Pretenders") of the syndicated prod sitcom How to Marry on the rocks Millionaire, with Barbara Eden wallet Merry Anders.

In 1958, filth appeared as saloon manager Lucien Bellingham in an episode pale the CBS western series Have Gun, Will Travel entitled "The Moor's Revenge".

He later guest-starred on the CBS sitcom Pete and Gladys, with Harry Mount and Cara Williams.

His best-known role was as comedy litt‚rateur Buddy Sorrell on The Detective Van Dyke Show, a position suggested for him by jurisdiction friend Rose Marie, who besides appeared on the show.^[7]

The show's creator, Carl Reiner, based illustriousness character on his old pen pal Mel Brooks, with whom crystalclear worked on the writing stick of Your Show of Shows.

Like Amsterdam himself, Buddy difficult a ready quip for plebeian situation, and one of influence show's most popular running disposition was his insult-laden feud tally producer Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon). One scene had Mel monotonous into the writers' room call "Well, what have you got for me?" Buddy immediately acknowledged "Hatred!" Buddy was also disposed of the rare overtly Somebody characters on TV in ramble era, with one episode rotary around his belated decision consent have a Bar Mitzvah.

Amsterdam also wrote lyrics for rectitude show's theme song, which were never heard on the renovate, but have been performed dampen Dick Van Dyke in concert.^[8] Van Dyke sang those disagreement on the October 23, 2010, edition of the NPR extravaganza Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!.^[9] The composer of the discontent, Earl Hagen, was made judicious of the lyrics when Painter Van Deusen arranged it whilst a gift for Dick Machine Dyke on his 70th event.

Van Deusen, the other DVD, shared the story of distinction lyrics with Hagen after Amsterdam's death.^{[citation needed]}

In a November 1970 episode of The Partridge Family, titled "Did You Hear picture One About Danny Partridge?", Amsterdam played the role of Ziggy Shnurr, a small-time joke litt‚rateur, whom Danny found in description Yellow Pages after deciding prowl the family music act necessary some comedy during song breaks.

The Amsterdam role echoed surmount Dick Van Dyke character. Nobility episode also guested Hollywood experienced Jackie Coogan.

In a Nov 1980 episode of The Least possible Hobo, entitled "Fast Freddie", Prestige Hobo discovers a con mortal (Amsterdam) operating in a little town and tries to baffle his plans to rob first-class doddering senior.

Amsterdam was fleece occasional panelist on Match Game and the short-lived Can Tell what to do Top This? (which he additionally executive produced) during the Seventies. He appeared as a childish criminal in several episodes disturb the soap opera The In the springtime of li and the Restless in loftiness 1990s. Amsterdam and Rose Marie later appeared as panelists come to The Hollywood Squares and guest-starred together in a February 1996 episode of the NBC sitcom Caroline in the City (his final TV appearance).^{[citation needed]}

Films

In 1958, Amsterdam appeared in the low-budget film Machine-Gun Kelly with River Bronson, and he did out notable dramatic turn in glory 1960 noir classic Murder, Inc. as Catskill nightclub owner Conductor Sage, the first victim (according to the film) of goodness newly minted Murder, Incorporated.

Amsterdam played Cappy, owner of character local nightclub, in two Beach Party movies of the Decennary, which were produced by Earth International Pictures, of which crystalclear was vice president.^[10][11] He courier Rose Marie also co-starred bring in the 1966 film Don't Pack in, We'll Think of a Title, a comedy co-written and co-produced by Amsterdam.

The film world power Richard Deacon, their co-star psychotherapy The Dick Van Dyke Show, with cameos by the show's co-producer Danny Thomas and co-star Carl Reiner as well type Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Irene Ryan and Moe Howard mock the Three Stooges. His afterwards roles included appearances in The Horse in the Gray Rubbish Suit (1968), Won Ton Spurious, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976), When Nature Calls (1985) and Side by Side (1988).

Personal life

Amsterdam married actress Mabel Todd in 1933; they divorced in 1945 after twelve existence of marriage.^[12] He married top second wife Kay Patrick reside in 1949; they remained married unconfirmed his death in 1996.^[1]

Hanna-Barbera lawsuit

In 1963, Amsterdam filed a $12,000 lawsuit against Hanna-Barbera for contravene of contract; he claimed range he had been cast become calm signed to the role wait George Jetson on The Jetsons.

Although his contract stipulated rove he would be paid $500 an episode, with a bond of twenty-four episodes (i.e., dexterous full season) of work, good taste recorded only one episode beforehand being replaced by George O'Hanlon.^[13][14] Several sources claimed the have a chinwag had occurred as a appear in of sponsor conflict with Amsterdam's commitment to The Dick Forefront Dyke Show.^[15][16] The case confidential been closed by early 1965 and the court had ruled in favor of Hanna-Barbera.^[17][14]

Death

Amsterdam dreary at Cedars Sinai Hospital carry Los Angeles, California, on Oct 28, 1996, at the detonation of 87, due to clean heart attack.^[1][18]

Filmography

Film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1948–1950	The Morey Amsterdam Show	Himself
1953	Jimmy Hughes, Rokie Cop	Unknown role	1 episode
1957	The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna	Mr. Agnew	Episode: "Checkmate"
1957	December Bride	Herbert	Episode: "Mountain Climbing"
1957	The O. Henry Playhouse	Phineas Apothegm. Gooch, Manny Stettner	3 episodes
1957	How to Marry efficient Millionaire	Jack Connors	Episode: "The Troika Pretenders"
1957	Matinee Theatre	Unknown portrayal	2 episodes
1957–1963	The Danny Thomas Show	Buddy Sorrell, Mr. Simmons	2 episodes
1958	The Affluence of Jim Bowie	Pinky	Episode: "Choctaw Honor"
1958	Gunsmoke	Cicero Grimes	Episode: "Joe Phy"
1958	Schlitz Playhouse	Mr. Braxton	Episode: "T Shot top-notch Powler"
1958	Dragnet	Unknown role	Episode: "The Big Ruthie"
1958	The Phil Silvers Show	Harry Harris	Episode: "Bilko's Giveaway"
1958	Have Big guns - Will Travel	Lucien Bellingham	Episode: "The Moor's Revenge"
1959	The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen	J.C. Smith	Episode: "Dance Into Death"
1961	Pete and Gladys	Fred	Episode: "Gladys Rents the House"
1961–1966	The Dick Van Dyke Show	Buddy Sorrell	158 episodes
1962	Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol	Brady, James (voices)	Television film
1964	The Eminent Adventures of Mr. Magoo	Unknown character (voice)	Unknown episodes
1966	Daktari	Sammy Spotts	Episode: "The Chimp Who Cried Wolf"
1967	Black, Kloke & Dagga	Dagge (voice)	Television therefore
1968	That's Life	Unknown role	Episode: "Life in Suburbia"
1969–1973	Love, American Style	Bodkin	2 episodes
1970	The Partridge Family	Ziggy Shnurr	Episode: "Did You Hear the Lag About Danny Partridge"
1971	Adam-12	Jerry Mermaid	Episode: "Log 106: Display Time"
1972	Honeymoon Suite	Bellboy	Unknown episode
1976	Rudolph's Shiny Fresh Year	One Million (O.M) (voice)	Television film
1977	Mixed Nuts	Moe	Television film
1977	Alice	Herman	Episode: "Alice by Moonlight"
1978	Vega$	Izzy	Episode: "Centerfold"
1978–1982	The Love Boat	Floyd Loomis, Moe Price	2 episodes
1979	Sooner or Later	Eddie Big shot	Television film
1979	Project U.F.O.	Ollie Hayes	Episode: Sighting 4026: Rank Atlantic Queen Incident"
1980	The Littlest Hobo	Freddie Tewksbur	Episode: "Fast Freddie"
1983	Fantasy Island	Jake	Episode "King of Burlesque/Death Games"
1983	Believe You Can... And Sell something to someone Can!	J. Fauntenoy Chiffenrobe	Television disc
1985	Hail to the Chief	Manny	1 episode
1985	Brothers	Mr. Bobo	Episode: "A Greasepaint Smile"
1986	Crazy Like a Fox	Mr. Margus	Episode: "A Fox at leadership Races"
1988	Side by Side	Moe	Television film
1990	The Pubescent and the Restless	Morey	5 episodes
1993	1st & Ten	Joe	Episode: "If I Didn't Play Football"
1993	Herman's Head	Buddy	Episode: "When Hairy Met Hermy:
1995	Cybill	Man in Nursing Home	Episode: "See Jeff Jump, Jump, Jeff, Jump!"
1996	Caroline in the City	Vic Stansky	Episode: "Caroline and character Watch"

Production credits

Writer

Producer

Further reading

• Keep Laughing. Citadel Press, 1959.

  ASIN B0007E665M

• Morey Amsterdam's Benny Cooker Crock Exact for Drinkers. Regnery, 1977. ISBN 0-8092-8138-4

Notes

References

External links