Charlie Callas dies at 86: Comic was the voice of Pete's Dragon

Chortle ^ | January 28, 2011

[EveningStar]

American comedian Charlie Callas, who worked with Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin –– as well as opening several of Frank Sinatra’s Vegas shows – has died at the age of 86.

[EveningStar]

Video clips at link.

IDMb

Wikipedia

[DCBryan1]

[JennysCool]

We've been losing a lot of the "Match Game"-era comedians lately ... RIP, Charlie!

[Lazlo in PA]

That guy was funny. The most interesting part of the article was the fact that Charlie wasn't already dead. RIP.

[ReverendJames]

Lot’s of good shows going on in Heaven of late.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[Monterrosa-24]

He did a great routine of a man annoyed by a Chihuahua bobbing head dog in the back of a car but unconsciously begins moving his own head the same way while driving. As a woman observes him and tut tuts his mental condition by shaking her head no, he says “NO LADY... ITS LIKE THIS!” and demos the correct Chihuahua motion.

[Frantzie]

He was hilarious in Jerry Lewis The Big Mouth. Funny guy.

[llevrok]

One of the funniest comedians ever. Really off the wall. Had that old time Las Vegas Rat Pack era lounge schtick. Had that on the edge nervousness like Rodney (will they pull me off stage before the end of my bit?)

RIP Charlie. Thanks for the many, many laughs.

[llevrok]

I worry that Larry Storch is on deck. (another guy who made me howl especially with his bit on what street signs would sound like if they could talk).

These comedians were craftsmen of which few are today.

[albie]

Very funny and clean! Few if any comics of today can go more than 15 seconds without extreme cussing.

[Charles Martel]

Years ago, I saw an article (in TV Guide, perhaps) about Larry’s love for playing his saxophone in Central Park. Evidently, he’s never been able to shake his “F-Troop” character, as many people who see him in the park call out “Hey, Agarn!”

[GSWarrior]

He had some funny scenes in High Anxiety.

"The cocker's daughter?"

[Fawn]

Silent Movie was HILARIOUS.

RIP...

[JennysCool]

These comedians were craftsmen of which few are today.

That's for sure!

[EveningStar]

Charlie Callas, Zany Comedian, Dies at 83

...Jerry Lewis was so taken by Mr. Callas that, while both were appearing on a talk show in 1965, he said, “You’ve got to be in my next movie.” He was — in the 1967 production “The Big Mouth.”

Johnny Carson was also impressed by Mr. Callas, inviting him to appear on the “Tonight” show nearly 50 times. Then came the night of Sept. 21, 1982.

With Mr. Callas bombing, Mr. Carson made a whistling-buzzing sound — as if tracing a bomb’s trajectory. In comic desperation, Mr. Callas leaned over and shoved Mr. Carson. Mr. Carson, almost always amiable on the air, was so annoyed that on the spot, in front of his television audience, he told Mr. Callas that he’d never appear on the show again. Mr. Carson kept his word.

It was not the end of Mr. Callas’s career, however. Besides nightclub gigs and guest spots on other talk shows, he went on to appear in several movies...