TV's 'Laugh-in' comic Dick Martin dies in California at 86

TV's 'Laugh-in' comic Dick Martin dies in California at 86

This is a diversion from what I prefer writing about cause it touches me in many ways.

"Laugh In" was a great "new" TV show I think produced by George Schlatter and Alan Blye, former Cantor of Toronto's Temple Sinai.

It broke my fave star, Goldie Hawn who actually caressed Northworthy's right tricep when I accidentally met her in the Town of Rosseau, Ontario, when I lost my dog, on a Sunday and drove up Monday after getting a call that the dog had been spotted some 20 km from where a thunderclap spooked it.

Off we went to Rosseau to hunt the dog down and the lead was provided by the defunct Bakery there. We found the dog, recovered it somehow as it was very spooked (who says a piece of bacon in the pocket just in case, is a bad thing to have around).

Well the 2 people I was with wanted to go straight home but I insisted we go back to the bakery and thank them for calling us.

Well, walking into the bakery, I kind of exuberantly said "We got our dog. Thank you so much."

On my imediate right I glanced, down, (I am tall) and there low and behold next to me, under the bug eyed sun glasses, was Goldie Hawn.

Being the gentleman I am, of course I said to her "I know who you are but for your own safety I do not know who you are."

I got a gushing big smile from her and then the caressing pinch of my right tricep, that with muscle memory, has still not gone away to this day.

If fact, it will never go away. Sorry Kurt: your gal laid hands on me!!!

Of course Goldie I think afterwards came out and petted "Sandy" the recovered dog, and then wiggled down the street, to which I had to follow a bit for the man in me. Whoooo.

Being alert though, I looked across the street and there was Kurt Russell, doing a Tailgunner act, with a scowl sort of on his face. His legs thin, his jeans old, he looked like he ready to run across in a flash.

I had hunch he might have thought the dog might have threatened his babe, or me the big guy going into the bakery, but either way, messing with the guy from "Ft. Apache the Bronx" fame, is not my idea of a fair scrap or actually necessary at all: a class pair if there was ever any in Hollywood for sure they are!

But this personal story for me, likely would not have happened had "Dan Rowan and Dick Martin" not have been on the air. Goldie was cute but the real dumb thin blonde, with a giant giggle. I can't see how she could have broken into show big without that show demonstrated her abundant talent to be that giggly girl (unless she loves giggling ... she loves gushing!!)

All of that cast was dynamite in their own ways, Arte Johnson, Joanne Worley, Lilly Tomlin, Ruth Buzzie, and more (I am going by memory).

In terms of entertainment genre, in a way, this original splice up, quick hitting comedy, led to some other variations of the same thing.

It might be interesting to see what Canadian Lorne Michaels has to say on the influence of "Laugh In" on Saturday Night Life, if any.

Ditto to the improv comedy networks that broke stars too, for fast hits at humour.

Was Rowan and Martin the first fast hitting comedic genius type of TV show in North America?

And while I go nostalgic, poor Benny Hill. He was hillarious!!!!!!!! But way gone now.