Remembering Jonathan Winters

Just thought I’d share a couple of clips to help us remember Jonathan Winters, in light of today’s sad news.

As it happens, Winters was the same age as Margaret Thatcher, 87. But he was way funnier.

I chose the one above in part to remind us of someone else. In light of the recent Jimmy Fallon news, I thought it would be apropos to look back at the original host of “The Tonight Show.”

12 thoughts on “Remembering Jonathan Winters

  1. bud

    He was a great inspiration for a generation of young comedians including Jim Carrey and Robin Williams.

  2. Kathryn Fenner

    Man, I do improv, but watching him totally humbles me! Such talent, but such a sad life.

      1. Kathryn Fenner

        Improv is not standup. It is creating characters and comic scenes on the spot, not making jokes.

  3. Tom Stickler

    Growing up in Ohio, we always considered him a local boy made good, even though he was kinda nuts.

  4. Kathryn Fenner

    Speaking of talented people, Phillip, a protégée of Steve Reich, is conducting Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians again tomorrow night at 7:30 at the School of Music. You will be blown away. No classical music appreciation required! Free, too!

  5. bud

    I recently saw Winters in a Twilight Zone episode playing a pool shark. It was a dramatic roll as opposed to his comedy routine. It was one of his best performances. I would have liked to have seen more of him in that capacity.

  6. Bart

    Jonathan Winters was ahead of his time and at times, off the reservation with his personal issues. One other point most people are not aware of, Winters was an excellent artist. He would spend days in his basement studio working on his art. His medium was acrylics. Naturally, some of his work was a reflection of what went on in his mind.

    I also agree with bud, he was a very good dramatic actor. But, his best performance in a movie was “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad World”. Think I listed enough Mads to cover it.

    I have a tape of some of his actual phone messages between he and his friends. Absolutely unrehearsed and hilarious. Winters is my all-time favorite comedian, improv or otherwise.

  7. Silence

    Shazbot! Winter’s best work was as “Mearth”, Mork’s son in the sitcom “Mork and Mindy”. Winter’s addition to the cast was probably the strangest Cousin Oliver moment of all time…

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