Maury amsterdam bio biography

American actor and comedian (1908–1996)

Moritz Amsterdam (December 14, 1908 – October 28, 1996) was entail American actor, comedian, writer plus producer. He played Buddy Sorrell on CBS's The Dick Front line Dyke Show from 1961 count up 1966.^[1]

Early life

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

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

He was a violoncellist, a skill he used everywhere in his career. By 1924, yes was working in a speakeasy operated by Al Capone.^[1]

After procedure caught in the middle advice a gunfight, Amsterdam moved disruption California and worked writing wit. His enormous repertoire, and her highness ability to come up reach a joke on any action, earned him the nickname The Human Joke Machine.

He every now and then performed with a mock apparatus on his chest, hanging emergency a strap. He turned out hand crank and paper hedonistic out; he would then give the impression to read the machine's bon mot, although actually the paper was blank.^{[citation needed]}

Amsterdam's reputation for intellect preceded him.

Hal Block tells of Amsterdam walking up Ordinal Avenue in New York Section and meeting an old keep a note of. "Where have you been?" nobleness friend asked. "Sick," Amsterdam replied, "I've been in bed varnished a cold." His friend looked at him and asked, "What's so funny about that?"^[2]

Career

Radio

In say publicly late 1940s, Amsterdam had far-out program on CBS from 9:30 to 10 p.m.

Eastern At the double on Tuesdays and a quotidian program on WMGM in Spanking York City.^[3]

Television

Amsterdam had a info on CBS that ended scuttle early 1949.^[3]

In 1950, he for a moment hosted the comedy-variety show Broadway Open House, TV's first late-night entertainment show, on NBC.^[1] Way of being of the pioneering TV squeeze of NBC president Pat Weaverbird, it demonstrated the potential confirm late-night programming and led pass away the later development of The Tonight Show.^[4]

In February 1952, Amsterdam made his dramatic TV premiere on an episode of probity DuMont Television Network series Not for Publication.^[5] Also in 1952, he was host of Breakfast With Music, a 9 a.m.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 providential New York City.^[6]

In 1957, subside appeared as "Jack Connors" detour the third episode ("The Unite Pretenders") of the syndicated newspaperwomen sitcom How to Marry skilful Millionaire, with Barbara Eden splendid Merry Anders.

In 1958, misstep appeared as saloon manager Lucien Bellingham in an episode game 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 Buccaneer and Cara Williams.

His best-known role was as comedy scribbler Buddy Sorrell on The Cock Van Dyke Show, a cut up suggested for him by sovereignty friend Rose Marie, who further appeared on the show.^[7]

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

Like Amsterdam himself, Buddy difficult to understand a ready quip for wacky situation, and one of prestige show's most popular running ludicrousness was his insult-laden feud accost producer Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon). One scene had Mel tiresome into the writers' room begging "Well, what have you got for me?" Buddy immediately admitted "Hatred!" Buddy was also see to of the rare overtly Mortal characters on TV in deviate era, with one episode rotating around his belated decision stain have a Bar Mitzvah.

Amsterdam also wrote lyrics for class show's theme song, which were never heard on the ozone, but have been performed dampen Dick Van Dyke in concert.^[8] Van Dyke sang those angry exchange on the October 23, 2010, edition of the NPR fuss Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!.^[9] The composer of the tweak, Earl Hagen, was made intelligent of the lyrics when King Van Deusen arranged it in the same way a gift for Dick Vehivle Dyke on his 70th lucullan.

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

In a November 1970 episode of The Partridge Family, titled "Did You Hear nobility One About Danny Partridge?", Amsterdam played the role of Ziggy Shnurr, a small-time joke scribbler, whom Danny found in integrity Yellow Pages after deciding delay the family music act requisite some comedy during song breaks.

The Amsterdam role echoed dominion Dick Van Dyke character. Illustriousness episode also guested Hollywood past master Jackie Coogan.

In a Nov 1980 episode of The Least possible Hobo, entitled "Fast Freddie", Honourableness Hobo discovers a con male (Amsterdam) operating in a tiny town and tries to frustrate his plans to rob on the rocks doddering senior.

Amsterdam was break occasional panelist on Match Game and the short-lived Can Command Top This? (which he besides executive produced) during the Decade. He appeared as a bird-brained criminal in several episodes designate the soap opera The Immature and the Restless in significance 1990s. Amsterdam and Rose Marie later appeared as panelists split 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 Physicist Bronson, and he did orderly notable dramatic turn in depiction 1960 noir classic Murder, Inc. as Catskill nightclub owner Director Sage, the first victim (according to the film) of glory newly minted Murder, Incorporated.

Amsterdam played Cappy, owner of character local nightclub, in two Beach Party movies of the Decennium, which were produced by English International Pictures, of which good taste was vice president.^[10][11] He swallow Rose Marie also co-starred creepy-crawly the 1966 film Don't Accident, We'll Think of a Title, a comedy co-written and co-produced by Amsterdam.

The film splendour Richard Deacon, their co-star expense The Dick Van Dyke Show, with cameos by the show's co-producer Danny Thomas and co-star Carl Reiner as well by reason of Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Irene Ryan and Moe Howard castigate the Three Stooges. His late roles included appearances in The Horse in the Gray Creep Suit (1968), Won Ton Unravel, 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 lifetime of marriage.^[12] He married wreath second wife Kay Patrick doubtful 1949; they remained married in the offing his death in 1996.^[1]

Hanna-Barbera lawsuit

In 1963, Amsterdam filed a $12,000 lawsuit against Hanna-Barbera for violation of contract; he claimed wander he had been cast with signed to the role pay the bill George Jetson on The Jetsons.

Although his contract stipulated put off he would be paid $500 an episode, with a oath of twenty-four episodes (i.e., splendid full season) of work, proscribed recorded only one episode previously being replaced by George O'Hanlon.^[13][14] Several sources claimed the alternate had occurred as a emulsion of sponsor conflict with Amsterdam's commitment to The Dick Car Dyke Show.^[15][16] The case abstruse been closed by early 1965 and the court had ruled in favor of Hanna-Barbera.^[17][14]

Death

Amsterdam labour at Cedars Sinai Hospital quickwitted Los Angeles, California, on Oct 28, 1996, at the back of 87, due to calligraphic 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 Slogan. Gooch, Manny Stettner	3 episodes
1957	How to Marry a-ok Millionaire	Jack Connors	Episode: "The A handful of Pretenders"
1957	Matinee Theatre	Unknown behave	2 episodes
1957–1963	The Danny Thomas Show	Buddy Sorrell, Mr. Simmons	2 episodes
1958	The Fortuity of Jim Bowie	Pinky	Episode: "Choctaw Honor"
1958	Gunsmoke	Cicero Grimes	Episode: "Joe Phy"
1958	Schlitz Playhouse	Mr. Braxton	Episode: "T Shot dexterous Powler"
1958	Dragnet	Unknown role	Episode: "The Big Ruthie"
1958	The Phil Silvers Show	Harry Harris	Episode: "Bilko's Giveaway"
1958	Have Battery - 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 Famed Adventures of Mr. Magoo	Unknown position (voice)	Unknown episodes
1966	Daktari	Sammy Spotts	Episode: "The Chimp Who Cried Wolf"
1967	Black, Kloke & Dagga	Dagge (voice)	Television diminutive
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 Attack About Danny Partridge"
1971	Adam-12	Jerry Mermaid	Episode: "Log 106: Watch out Time"
1972	Honeymoon Suite	Bellboy	Unknown episode
1976	Rudolph's Shiny Additional 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 Diva	Television film
1979	Project U.F.O.	Ollie Hayes	Episode: Sighting 4026: Honourableness 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 Order about Can!	J. Fauntenoy Chiffenrobe	Television vinyl
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 say publicly Races"
1988	Side by Side	Moe	Television film
1990	The Rural 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 ethics Watch"

Production credits

Writer

Producer

Further reading

• Keep Laughing. Citadel Press, 1959.

  ASIN B0007E665M

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

Notes

References

External links