Comedy on Records - Sam Levenson Tells a Bar Mitzvah Story

Sam Levenson (1911-1980) was one of the most popular Jewish comedians on television from the 1940s through the 1970s. He was a panelist on The Price is Right, What's My Line, and Password. He had his own show, The Sam Levenson Show, hosted the game show Two For the Money, and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show 22 times.

His Jewishness was apparent from his speech and his stories about his large immigrant family in Brooklyn. It came through most clearly in his recordings of growing up Jewish in New York.

There was no YouTube back in 1947 when this 78rpm record was made, so the only motion in this video is the record revolving on the turntable. But we think you'll laugh and enjoy Levenson's story of the Bar Mitzvah Boy. We can't prove it, but we think this may be the origin of the classic "Today I am a fountain pen" joke.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)