Dick Martin, 1922-2008
Please subscribeDick Martin was, I think, underestimated as a comedy talent. His shtick (with Dan Rowan) seems dated now, being remembered as second-tier Rat Pack wannabes. This ignores the ground-breaking nature of their Laugh-In Show. Where the Smother Brothers are remembered for their messy battles with network censors, Laugh-In got away with far more subversive material, both social and political.
And Dick Martin smirked, mugged and smugged his way through all of it, both in the background and foreground.
Like all straight men, Rowan provided the voice of reason, striving to correct his partner’s absurdities. Martin, meanwhile, was full of bogus, often risque theories about life, which he appeared to hold with unwavering certainty.
Most of the catch-phrases from that show — “Sock it to me,” “You bet your sweet bippy” and “Look that up in your Funk and Wagnall’s” — were first (and most entertainingly) uttered by Martin.
He also had a flair for physical comedy. Check out his reactions to Tiny Tim which, if I recall correctly, was TT’s first appearance on network television. Martin is genuinely hilarious. (P.S. that’s a very young Goldie Hawn who hustles Tim off-stage at the end of his performance).
Say goodnight, Dick.
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Goodnight Dick.
You can still get a laugh from kids who never heard of Laugh-in, and look at you weird when you talk about Artie Johnson or JoAnne Worley, simply by saying the words, “Fly Fickle Finger of Fate.”
They don’t know what it means, but they know it’s funny.