George Kirby
George Kirby (June 8, 1923 – September 30, 1995) was an American comedian, singer, and actor from Chicago, Illinois.
Kirby broke into show business in the 1940s at the Club DeLisa, a South Side establishment that employed a variety-show format and preferred to hire local singers, dancers, and comedians. His first recording was as a stand-up blues singer, performing "Ice Man Blues" on a Tom Archia session done in 1947 for Aristocrat Records.
He was one of the first African-American comedians to begin to appeal to white as well as black audiences during the height of the Civil Rights era, appearing between 1966 and 1972 on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Dean Martin Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He was an excellent impressionist — targeting, somewhat scandalously for the time, many white actors such as John Wayne and Walter Brennan rather than solely black stars such as Bill Cosby and Pearl Bailey — and, for a man of his ample girth, an unexpectedly agile dancer. He also did vocal impressions of such singers as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
In 1970, he was allowed to produce a television special, The George Kirby Show, to gauge whether he could attract an audience for a weekly series. This led to his hosting a sketch comedy and variety show, Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour, which lasted for 22 episodes in 1972; it was also one of the actor-comedian Steve Martin's first credits in front of the camera. The series was in many ways an uneasy compromise between Kirby's natural gifts and what the public would accept of black actors at the time; a regular feature was a shaggy dog story segment entitled the "Funky Fable". He was also a regular in the British-produced ABC Comedy Hour series The Kopycats, alongside such other impressionists as Rich Little, Charlie Callas, Marilyn Michaels, and Frank Gorshin.
Following the demise of his show, Kirby's career declined, especially as audiences began to look for more cutting-edge comedy. He had been an occasional drug addict; now, to make up for lost income, he took to selling drugs. In 1977 he sold heroin to an undercover cop; he plea bargained to a ten year prison term and was released after 42 months. His career never again reached its former heights, but he did register featured guest appearances on Gimme a Break with Nell Carter, Crazy Like a Fox, and 227. He then took ill with what was later diagnosed as Parkinson's Disease. He was well-loved enough within the comedy community that friends and admirers formed the "Friends of George Kirby", which performed an all-star tribute to him in 1995 to help pay his mounting medical bills, only a few months before he died.
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Known For | Acting |
---|---|
Most Rating | 7.156 |
Birthday | 1923-06-08 |
Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
Also Known As |
1985
Trouble in Mind
5.7/39
The lives of an ex-con, a coffee-shop owner, and a young couple looking to make it rich intersect in the hypnotic Rain City.
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Trouble in Mind
1972
The Special London Bridge Special
0/0
In 1972, the Arizona State Park bought the London Bridge. Tom Jones (as himself) is magically transported to the bridge's new location where he, befud...
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The Special London Bridge Special
1976
Joys
4/0
Over fifty of the greatest living comedians are called to a party at Bob Hope's house, where each of them is systematically killed (and their bodies t...
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Joys
1969
The Temptations Show
0/0
A television special starring the vocal group The Temptations.
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The Temptations Show
1985
Puss in Boots
5/1
A young man (Gregory Hines) journeys from rags-to-riches thanks to his talented Puss in Boots (Ben Vereen). Starring Ben Vereen, Gregory Hines, Alfre...
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Puss in Boots
1983
Sunset Limousine
4/7
Alan O'Black is a comic who wants to hit it big. But his endless attempts at stardom have worn down his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Julie. Th...
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Sunset Limousine
1967
Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad
4.2/5
A woman brings her son and husband to a tropical vacation spot for a little rest and relaxation. The only problem is that the husband has been dead fo...
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Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad
1973
Saga of Sonora
0/0
A musical TV special with Vince Edwards as a hero who must stop gold-greedy villains, Jill St. John and Zero Mostel, and prove his love to his girl, L...
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Saga of Sonora
1966
A Man Called Adam
6.3/10
A famous jazz trumpeter finds himself unable to cope with the problems of everyday life.
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A Man Called Adam
1978
On Location with George Kirby
0/0
Whether the joke involved singing, dancing, playing the piano or doing impressions of popular celebrities, classic comedian George Kirby could do it a...
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On Location with George Kirby
1969
Dionne Warwick: Souled Out
0/0
CBS Television with Warwick's guests Burt Bacharach, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Glen Campbell
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Dionne Warwick: Souled Out
1987
Leonard Part 6
2.879/62
After separating from his wife, Leonard Parker (Cosby) quit the spy business and became a restaurateur. His wife refuses to speak with him, and his da...
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Leonard Part 6
1983
Amos 'n' Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy
6/1
The history of the television version of "Amos and Andy" and the public outcry to cancel it.
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Amos 'n' Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy
1987
Cameo by Night
0/0
Failed TV pilot about Jennifer, a police secretary who goes undercover as rock fan Cameo to search the music scene for a serial killer who preys upon...
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Cameo by Night
1989
Beverly Hills Brats
5.5/8
A rich young boy arranges to be kidnapped so he'll get more attention from his parents.
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