Throwback Thursday Comedy Special: Betty Walker and Valerie Harper in "My Shirley"

Of all the comedy albums produced in the era of LP records, our favorite has always been You Don't Have to be Jewish. The 1965 album is a collection of blackout bits and extended one-liners which poked fun at the absurdities of American Jewish culture.
 
It was recorded in a studio with a live audience in attendance, as a cast of actors performed scripted material much in the manner of a radio play.
 
Comedy writers Bob Booker and George Foster had the good judgment to assemble a superb cast for this recording, and they transform what could have been ordinary Catskills shtick into something memorable.
 
The performers include Lou Jacobi, Jack Gilford, Betty Walker and Arlene Golonka, and their expert timing and feel for their characters is impeccable. You Don't Have To Be Jewish is a fine sampling of classic Borscht Belt humor performed by a top-notch cast. The response to the album was so great that the same writers and cast produced a sequel called When You're in Love, the Whole World is Jewish. The two albums are now being sold together as a single CD.

We previously shared two of the funniest routines on the first album and one from the second album. Today we're posting another bit from the second album titled My Shirley featuring Betty Walker and Valerie Harper. It's as funny 55 years later as it was when the record was released in 1965.

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.

The Great Jewish Comedians: Betty Walker in "A Call From Long Island"

Betty Walker (1928-1982) was a Jewish-American comic who performed primarily during the 1950s and 1960s. She was born Edith Seeman in Elizabeth, New Jersey to Latvian immigrants.

Walker had a very pronounced nasal Yiddish accent that fit the stereotype of a yenta. As soon as she started to speak you knew that you would soon be laughing. She was the star of a few notable comedy record albums, and contributed greatly to their success. They included You Don't Have to be Jewish, When You're in Love the Whole World is Jewish, Hello Ceil, It's Me and The Yiddish are Coming, The Yiddish are Coming. 

Today we're sharing two of her best routines, one long and one short. Here are A Call from Long Islalnd from You Don't Have to be Jewish and The Opening from The Yiddish are Coming, The Yiddish are Coming.

The recordings precede the days of video and YouTube, so just close your eyes and listen and imagine the scene while you laugh.

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.)