We've created a follow-up 90-minute lecture with 15 more comedians and it's scheduled for February 10 at FAU. One of the comedians we're featuring in the lecture is Phil Silvers.
Silvers (1911-1985) was an American entertainer and comedic actor,
known as "The King of Chutzpah". He starred in The Phil Silvers
Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S. Army post in which he played Master
Sergeant Ernest (Ernie) Bilko.
He began entertaining aged 11, when he would sing in theaters when
the film projector broke down (a common occurrence in those days), to the point
where he was allowed to keep attending the same movie theater free of charge,
to sing through any future breakdowns.
Silvers wrote the lyrics for Frank Sinatra's "Nancy (With the
Laughing Face)". Although he was not a songwriter, he wrote the lyrics
while visiting composer Jimmy Van Heusen. The two composed the song for Van
Heusen's writing partner Johnny Burke, for his wife Bessie's birthday.
Substituting Sinatra's little daughter's name Nancy at her birthday party, the
trio pressed the singer to record it himself. The song became a popular hit in
1945 and was a staple in Sinatra's live performances.
He was a guest on The Ed Sullivan Show, where he appeared in a
skit with composer Jerome Kern about Kern's famous song Old Man River
from the musical Show Boat.
Enjoy!
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