2ntl Annual

NOS

"Art on the Avenues"

from him," Alan King says of the proudly, eager to reveal the notch-
man and the character who lived es he earned on the comedy cir-
cuit. Next, it was onward from the
life to the fullest.
Yet Bernard Kniberg was no Catskill Mountains to the hills of
Hollywood, where King found a
cockeyed optimist.
"I think I got my cynicism from new outlet for his talent.
Starting with Hit the Deck in
him," says King. "Maybe that's
why I was so angry as a young 1955, he proved a hit as an actor
in such films as The Helen Mor-
man."
King went a round or two try- gan Story (1957), Just Tell Me
ing to come to terms with life. "My What You Want (1980), Author!
humor came from my anger. It Author! (1982), Enemies, a Love
helped to get my anger out," he Story (1989), and last year's Casi-
no.
says.
Alan King proved a lure for TV
King's grandfather, Rabbi Har-
ry Solomon, also played a large moguls — he will star in an up-
coming series about lawyers —
role in his life.
"I got the best of both," says the and for theater movers and shak-
son of an atheist and the grand- ers, who starred him in promi-
nent productions of Guys and
son of a rabbi.
Alan King says he was en- Dolls and The Impossible Years.
These have been heady years
riched by his family's poverty: "I
had a very good time as a young for King, working the same stages
man. I didn't know I was poor un- as Sinatra ("the most unique mu-
til I got rich."
The comedian's
mother Minnie is
the source of a
wealth of stories,
too. As he writes in
Name Dropping, "I
remember taking
my mother to see
the musical Fiddler
on the Roof. My
mother was born in
a village very like
Anatevka.
"And when the
show was over, and
we were back out on
the street, I said,
`Ma, how did you en-
joy it? Did it bring
back memories?'
"When Bobby Kennedy decided to run for the Senate
"It was wonder- from New York, I campaigned for him. I thought he was a
ful,' she said. 'Only I real mentsh. That's my wife Jeanette between us."
don't remember so
much singing and
sician of the 20th century; I find
dancing."'
What King recalls of his him exhilarating) and Garland
decades-spanning career are the ("a wonderful, wonderful enter-
big names who lent a helping tainer"), then becoming a head-
hand to a young rookie on the liner in his own right.
As a longstanding member of
comedy circuit. He cites Milton
Berle, Jack Benny and George show-business royalty, Alan King
has never let the crown go to his
Burns as mentors/mentshes.
"I was lucky to have access to head. Not that Jeanette, his lov-
such people," notes the comedi- ing wife of 49 years, would allow
an. "Until the day he died, George that.
But then, the whole family
always called me 'kid."'
They were all kidders, but one shares in the funny man's fiefdom.
Years ago, when someone
in particular had a major impact.
When King saw a club comedian asked King's grandfather what
weave stories rather than one-lin- the young man did for a living,
ers into a crazy quilt of comedy, Rabbi Solomon responded, in Yid-
he realized that was the wave of dish, "Well, I don't know. He
stands on the stage and makes
the future.
"Danny Thomas was a great funny noises and shakes his ass."
"And do you know what?" asks
influence. There was something
very Judaic about his story- a true king of comedy. "That's
telling," Alan King says — al- what I still do: stand onstage,
though Thomas was a Lebanese make funny noises and shake my
Christian. His stories had wide- tuchas."
spread appeal, remembers King.
'Watching Danny Thomas per- Michael Elkin is the
form helped change the way I ap- entertainment editor of the
proached comedy," he says.
Jewish Exponent in
King wears his Borscht Belt Philadelphia.

❑

ART FESTIVAL

August 17 & 18

Saturday & Sunday

10 A_M 5 PM

FREE ADMISSION

V

aturing 250 national & international artisans from 35 states & Food Fest.

Located in the parking fields of

Novi Town Center

at 1-275 & 1-96

AiRTO ucir
Paging

t_ ei9f3m
11)

NOV1 ChLOA8Eft Of COVIMEtta

,E

Observer

8 Eccentric

FIRST USA.

For more information call (810) 349-3743

Howard Alan Events. Ltd., Producing America's Finest Art Festivals • Visit us on the Internet — httpillwww.artfestival.com

UNIQUE AMONG

MICHIGAN'S

LARGEST AND MOST

SPECTACULAR

RESTAURANTS

& BANQUET

CENTERS

The perfect lakeside setting for

elegant bridal showers,
rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions.

F-

Call (810) 463-9660
for complete assistance to make your
wedding a memorable occasion.

North River Rd., just east of 1-94 expressway.

U)

89

