Born Today- Henny Young - IMDb bio

 

 "Take my wife...please!" Henny Youngman was one of the stalwart old "Borscht Belt" stand up comedians who won national acclaim for all his snappy one liners.. 

Another:"My wife and I were happy for twenty years. And then we met."

Finally: " My father was the town drunk. Usually that's not so bad. But in New York?"

Youngman would just keep coming with this awful stuff...he had a great sense of timing, actually..and he kept audiences amused with this kind of fluff at a time when real politics and sex and profanity were taboo.

I think people liked Youngman because even though he was so bad, you could sense his desperate trying to please an audience behind the sardonic exterior.

Henny Youngman

Biography

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Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (1) | Trivia (6) | Personal Quotes (17)

Overview (5)

Date of Birth	16 March 1906 , Whitechapel, London, England, UK
Date of Death	24 February 1998 , New York City, New York, USA  (pneumonia)
Birth Name	Henry Youngman
Nickname	King of the One Liners
Height	6' 3" (1.91 m)

Mini Bio (1)

A career of seven decades of snappy, irreverent one-liners put Henry "Henny" Youngman at the top of most comedians' list of favorite showmen. Born in London, England, and moving to the United States when he was a baby, Youngman started his professional career as a printer in a small store. Naturally funny, he moonlighted in show business as the leader of a band called the "Swanee Syncopaters." One night, the regular comedian didn't show up, and Youngman, who had tickled crowds with his jokes between musical sets, was asked to fill in. Some time later, established comedian Milton Berle stumbled upon Youngman's store and saw his "Comedy Cards," a series of one-line gags that he had printed and were sold in his store. Berle liked what he read, and a lifelong friendship developed. Youngman, despite all the jokes about his wife, had a happy marriage that only ended when Sadie died in 1987. She supported him for years during the lean times, and he was always quick to let others know of his gratitude and devotion to her. Youngman's big break came when he was booked on the popular Kate Smith radio show in 1937. Never really making it in films, his nightclub career soared. His trademark, rapid-fire one-liners, with violin in hand, put him in a league of his own. In the 1960s, he enjoyed renewed popularity after appearances on the hip Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967). Youngman wrote a number of books comprised of his short jokes. The comedic legend died in 1998 at the age of 92 of complications from the flu.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Vicki McClure Davidson

Spouse (1)

Sadie Cohen

(4 May 1928 - 19 March 1987) (her death) (2 children)

Trade Mark (1)

Performed his comedy act holding a violin

Trivia (6)

Comedian.

Known as "King of the One-Liners"

In 1974, he was used by the New York Telephone Company on its new "Dial-A-Joke" service. He drew over three million calls in one month.

Was named as "King of Brooklyn" at the Welcome Back to Brooklyn Festival in 1988.

His signature joke is almost never quoted in its entirety. The complete joke is, "Women today are crazy! I mean, take my wife...please!"

He had a son, Gary, and a daughter, Marilyn.

Personal Quotes (17)

Take my wife ... please!

I have terrible luck. Last week my chauffeur ran off without my wife.

I've been married for 34 years, and I'm still in love with the same woman. If my wife ever finds out, she'll kill me.

My best friend ran away with my wife, and let me tell you, I miss him.

I miss my wife's cooking - as often as I can.

I was so ugly when I was born that the doctor slapped my mother.

I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up. They have no holidays.

How to drive a guy crazy: send him a telegram and on the top put 'page 2.'

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.

You can't buy love, but you can pay heavily for it.

I'll tell you how to beat the gambling in Las Vegas. When you get off the airplane, walk right into the propeller.

My dad was the town drunk. Usually that's not so bad, but New York City?

My grandmother is over eighty and still doesn't need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle.

My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.

I just got back from a pleasure trip. I took my mother-in-law to the airport.

While playing golf today, I hit two good balls. I stepped on a rake.

[on seafood restaurants] The catch of the day was hepatitis.

See also

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