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Carl Reiner - Tsk Tsk Tsk
Carl Reiner discusses his father's do-it-yourself dentistry.
Carl Reiner - On Irving Reiner
Carl Reiner discusses his father's advice and how he uses it to solve problems.
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Play NowCarl Reiner. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 09:15, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670.
Carl Reiner. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"Carl Reiner." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 09:15 http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670.
"Carl Reiner," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"Carl Reiner," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670 (accessed May 25, 2013).
Carl Reiner [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670.
Carl Reiner, http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670 (last visited May 25, 2013).
Carl Reiner. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/carl-reiner-271670. Accessed May 25, 2013.
Synopsis
Carl Reiner was born on March 20, 1922, in the Bronx, New York. He served with an entertainment unit during World War II and entered television in 1949. He worked on what would become Your Show of Shows, where he acted and wrote comedy with Mel Brooks. In 1961, he developed the sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show and occasionally appeared as the character Alan Brady. He also directed films and wrote novels.
Quotes
"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water."
Early Career
Actor, director and writer Carl Reiner was born on March 20, 1922, in the Bronx, New York. Reiner is one of the greatest creative talents in American comedy. Growing up in the Bronx, he was the son of a watchmaker and a housewife. A shy child, he dreamed of becoming an actor. His older brother encouraged him to take a free acting class at a dramatic school run by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. This led to him joining Paul Gilmore's theater company at the Daily Theater at the age of 17.
During World War II, Reiner served in the military. Initially trained as a radio operator, he later studied at Georgetown University to become a French translator. Reiner, after a stint as a teletype operator, joined an entertainment unit and toured the Pacific performing for his fellow servicemen. After the war ended, Reiner spent time honing his chops as a stand-up comedian at a resort in New Hampshire. He then toured with the national company for the Broadway show Call Me Mister. In 1948, Reiner made his Broadway debut in Inside U.S.A., a musical revue.
'Your Show of Shows'
Reiner landed his first job in television in 1949, performing on the Admiral Broadway Revue, which starred the unpredictable comedian Sid Caesar. The program evolved into Your Show of Shows the next year. Your Show of Shows showcased the talents of Caesar and Imogene Coca. During the show, Reiner played a variety of characters, including several slick salesman parts as well as frequently serving as Caesar's straight man and sidekick. The show was a precursor to today's Saturday Night Live, a 90-minute live comedy program. While serving a featured actor on the show, Reiner also worked with the show's writers, including Neil Simon and Mel Brooks.
In the early days of the show, Reiner and Brooks developed a routine known as the 2000 year old man, which they performed at parties and other events. The whole bit, according to Publisher's Weekly, started after Reiner asked Brooks, "Here's a man who was actually at the scene of the crucifixion 2,000 years ago. Isn't that true, sir?" And Brooks just started ad-libbing from there. Steve Allen helped the duo record a hit comedy album of the routine in 1960.
During Your Show of Shows's final year, Reiner received an Emmy Award nomination for Best Series Supporting Actor in 1954. He continued performing with Caesar on his next project, Caesar's Hour. Featuring comedy sketches and music, one of the show's most famous recurring sketches involved Caesar, Reiner and Howard Morris (another alumnus from Your Show of Shows) as suburban commuters on a train.
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Celebrity Enlistees
View groupHollywood stars often get flack for their extravagant lifestyles, and sometimes they seem to be far removed from the rest of us. Not so for all celebrities, though—a surprising number of stars have taken on the big responsibility of serving in the United States Armed Forces. We know them as actors, athletes, musicians, and comedians, but these brave individuals have actually put their lives on the line for their country. Here's a look at celebrity enlistees.
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Famous Military Veterans
View groupAmerica wouldn't be what it is today without Hollywood, and it certainly wouldn't be the same without its armed forces. Military veterans make the ultimate contribution to society—they put their lives on the line for their country. Since the nation's founding, the dedication and bravery of soldiers has been the a key pillar on which the United States stands. From Revolutionary War heroes to Vietnam veterans, here's a look at famous military veterans.
Famous Military Veterans 211 people in this group
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Actors Who Played Santa Claus
View groupJust as there's no shortage of Christmas-themed movies out each holiday season, there is no shortage of actors who have put on the red suit and white beard. Here's our group of actors who have played Santa Claus.
Actors Who Played Santa Claus 21 people in this group
presented by Actors Who Played Santa Claus
