Columnist Joe Delaney: Here’s a tale of three comics

Joe Delaney

Friday, April 24, 1998 | 10:29 a.m.

COMEDY TONIGHT? ... Vegans and visitors have three comedic headliner heavyweights in town this weekend. ... George Carlin is at Bally's; Rodney Dangerfield, in the MGM Grand's Hollywood Theatre; and Don Rickles, pacing the Desert Inn Crystal Room stage. ... All three have New York City and Long Island in common.

Carlin, born 1937, is the youngest. ... His father, Patrick Carlin, was national advertising manager for the New York Post newspaper and his mother, Mary, an executive secretary in an advertising agency, which may account for his interest in words, meanings and usage.

Rickles (1926) graduated high school in Elmhurst, Long Island. ... His father was a modest success in the insurance business. ... His mother, a housewife, was Don's biggest booster. ... Aspiring at first to become a serious actor, he graduated from Manhattan's Academy of Dramatic Arts.

And Rodney

Dangerfield, born 1922, arrived in Babylon, Long Island as Jacob Cohen. ... His father was a comedian who used the stage name Jack Roy. ... Jack Roy was also Rodney's first stage name. ... He was part of an aspiring group of young comics that included the late Lenny Bruce, impressionist Will Jordan and siding salesman-cum-comedian Joe Ancis. ... Ancis was a comedic inspiration to the others but only on street corners, not in public.

Bruce had a brief, meteoric career before he self-destructed. ... Jordan achieved a nice comedic plateau and still makes a good living. ... We understand Rodney has cared for Ancis in recent years. ... No one could forecast back then that Rodney would be the biggest winner.

From age 30 to 40, still Roy, he sold siding with Ancis. ... He returned to show business doing set-up and punch and occasional one-liners then received his "No Respect" hook, a gift from comedian Georgie Starr.

Defining moments

Dangerfield's defining moment came when he took on the name Rodney Dangerfield, a master stroke, akin to the re-christening of singers Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck. ... George Carlin's defining moment came in Las Vegas, circa 1970, when he was fired at the Frontier Hotel. ... He put away his tux and cast of characters, including the "Hippy-Dippy Weatherman."

Always into words, Carlin took his new beat persona to the colleges and coffee houses, becoming a latter-day Lenny Bruce, in part. ... Anti-establishment then, now politically incorrect, George became both conscience and iconoclast, a curmudgeon but always funny.

Gallagher later did George Carlin-type observations until he went into the destruction of fruits and vegetables. ... Steven Wright's wry observations are Carlin-inspired as well. ... With the death of Henny Youngman, Dangerfield stands alone, sans clones, blue collar funny.

Back to Rickles

Don Rickles was a formula comedian at first, taking bits of everybody's act and adding the usual comedian's impressions; Bogart, Cagney and Edward G. Robisnon. ... He still does Cagney. ... The late Jack E. Leonard was an early influence. ... Rickles as an insult comic was born in self defense one evening in a Washington, D.C. night club. ... It became his modus operandi in the Slate Brothers club in Hollywood.

In 1960, Don took over the Sahara Casbar and was "adopted" by Sinatra and his Sands Rat Pack. ... A Johnny Carson "Tonight" show appearance in 1965 was Rickles' defining moment; he has headlined everywhere since.

Now, Rickles' performances end with a feel-good message. ... Carlin and Dangerfield stay in character throughout. ... All are masters of their various comedic art forms. ... Each will make you laugh. ... Now that you know them a little better, try to catch all three this weekend.

Birthday greeting

Jean Bennett will be 75 years young on Saturday. ... We first met more than 40 years ago. ... Bennett was with the late Buck Ram and The Platters. ... Ram wrote the songs and produced the record sessions but it was Jean who kept things running smoothly, a major factor in the success and longevity of the group. ... Happy, healthy and many more. ... See you next Thursday.