Bob Nelson (comedian)
Encyclopedia
Bob Nelson is an American stand-up comedian and actor
.
did in his heyday. His most popular originals include Jiffy Jeff, a punchy prizefighter; Eppy Eppeman, a know-it-all geek with thick eyeglasses; an unnamed dumb football player; Wilby Stuckinsin, a hillbilly chicken farmer based on a life experience of Nelson's in Shreveport, Louisiana; and Mr. Pingyah, an argumentative Asian man who is more eloquent than the people he argues with. He is also known for his Jacques-Yves Cousteau
impersonations and his "football act" in which he parodies the old team rundowns in the College Football All Star games in which players announced their names, numbers and teams (example: "Quasimodo... Notre Dame... halfback!") Unlike many stand-up acts, Nelson does not "work blue," letting his characters get laughs with silliness rather than vulgarity. He attributes this to Red Skeleton. Bob had the honor of spending time with Red on numerous occasions. Bob considered Red his 'Comedy Mentor'. Red praised Bob for not cursing in his act and explained to him how "Laughter is like Medicine,it has a healing effect and when you put cursing in it, it's like putting poison in the Medicine."
Bob Nelson was Rodney Dangerfield
's opening act for eight years of Mr. Dangerfield's career. Bob was featured in two of Rodney's HBO stand up comedy showcases, alongside Jerry Seinfeld
, Rosanne Barr, Rita Rudner
and Bob Saget
. That led to two HBO specials starring Bob Nelson, including Nelson Schmelson. Bob considers Rodney his 'Comedy Godfather'
Nelson has appeared several times on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson
and various other talk shows, such as David Letterman
, Regis Philbin
, and Merv Griffin
.
Bob had performed and shared at “Come Thirsty”, a series of church seminars by Max Lucado
and Michael W. Smith
. Bob was featured on 'Life Today' with James & Betty Robinson. He is also currently being seen regularly on “Bananas Comedy”, which is a very popular family-friendly television comedy show that airs throughout the US and Canada.
In 2008 Nelson took his family and his show to Branson, MO to take a break from the road. For 3 years he starred in his own show in a Branson theater. Bob is now performing again in various venues near you. For more information you can check his web site at www.BobNelson.com
Bob won an Emmy Award in Philadelphia for a children’s show he wrote and starred in. Bob has since had supporting roles in Nora Ephron
's (Julie & Julia
, When Harry Met Sally...
) directorial film debut This is My Life
with Julie (Marge Simpson) Kavner
and Ivan Reitman
's (Ghostbusters
, Twins) box office smash Kindergarten Cop
with Arnold (the Governator) Schwarzenegger
. Bob also starred in the Zucker Brothers' (Airplane!
, The Naked Gun
) Marx Brothers
' take off Brain Donors
, the 1992 update of the Marx Brothers
' comedy A Night at the Opera
. Nelson plays what would have been the Harpo Marx
part; he does speak, but he indulges in some inspired pantomime involving silly props. His specialty act (juggling numerous colorful silk handkerchiefs) is featured in the film.
A bit of Trivia: Nelson was in a comedy group called "The Identical Triplets" with Eddie Murphy
and Rob Bartlett
.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Biography
Nelson specializes in rubber-faced comedy characters, much as Red SkeltonRed Skelton
Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton was an American comedian who is best known as a top radio and television star from 1937 to 1971. Skelton's show business career began in his teens as a circus clown and went on to vaudeville, Broadway, films, radio, TV, night clubs and casinos, all while pursuing...
did in his heyday. His most popular originals include Jiffy Jeff, a punchy prizefighter; Eppy Eppeman, a know-it-all geek with thick eyeglasses; an unnamed dumb football player; Wilby Stuckinsin, a hillbilly chicken farmer based on a life experience of Nelson's in Shreveport, Louisiana; and Mr. Pingyah, an argumentative Asian man who is more eloquent than the people he argues with. He is also known for his Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau was a French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water...
impersonations and his "football act" in which he parodies the old team rundowns in the College Football All Star games in which players announced their names, numbers and teams (example: "Quasimodo... Notre Dame... halfback!") Unlike many stand-up acts, Nelson does not "work blue," letting his characters get laughs with silliness rather than vulgarity. He attributes this to Red Skeleton. Bob had the honor of spending time with Red on numerous occasions. Bob considered Red his 'Comedy Mentor'. Red praised Bob for not cursing in his act and explained to him how "Laughter is like Medicine,it has a healing effect and when you put cursing in it, it's like putting poison in the Medicine."
Bob Nelson was Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield , was an American comedian, and actor, known for the catchphrases "I don't get no respect!," "No respect, no respect at all... that's the story of my life" or "I get no respect, I tell ya" and his monologues on that theme...
's opening act for eight years of Mr. Dangerfield's career. Bob was featured in two of Rodney's HBO stand up comedy showcases, alongside Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
, Rosanne Barr, Rita Rudner
Rita Rudner
Rita Rudner is an American comedienne, writer and actress.-Early life:Rudner was born in Miami, Florida, the daughter of Frances, a homemaker, and Abe Rudner, a lawyer. Her mother died when she was 13. After graduating from high school at 15, Rudner left Miami and headed to New York City to embark...
and Bob Saget
Bob Saget
Robert Lane "Bob" Saget is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Although he is best known for his roles as Danny Tanner in Full House, host of America's Funniest Home Videos and Future Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother, Saget is also known outside of television for his blue...
. That led to two HBO specials starring Bob Nelson, including Nelson Schmelson. Bob considers Rodney his 'Comedy Godfather'
Nelson has appeared several times on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
and various other talk shows, such as David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
, Regis Philbin
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
, and Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
.
Bob had performed and shared at “Come Thirsty”, a series of church seminars by Max Lucado
Max Lucado
Max Lucado is a best-selling author and writer and preacher at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas...
and Michael W. Smith
Michael W. Smith
Michael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
. Bob was featured on 'Life Today' with James & Betty Robinson. He is also currently being seen regularly on “Bananas Comedy”, which is a very popular family-friendly television comedy show that airs throughout the US and Canada.
In 2008 Nelson took his family and his show to Branson, MO to take a break from the road. For 3 years he starred in his own show in a Branson theater. Bob is now performing again in various venues near you. For more information you can check his web site at www.BobNelson.com
Bob won an Emmy Award in Philadelphia for a children’s show he wrote and starred in. Bob has since had supporting roles in Nora Ephron
Nora Ephron
Nora Ephron is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, novelist, playwright, journalist, author, and blogger.She is best known for her romantic comedies and is a triple nominee for the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay; for Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally... and Sleepless in...
's (Julie & Julia
Julie & Julia
Julie & Julia is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron starring Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Amy Adams, and Chris Messina...
, When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally... is a 1989 American romantic comedy film written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The story follows the title characters from the time they meet just before sharing a cross-country drive, through twelve years or...
) directorial film debut This is My Life
This is My Life (film)
This Is My Life is a 1992 film that marked the directorial debut of screenwriter Nora Ephron. The screenplay, written by Ephron and her sister, Delia Ephron, is based on the book, This Is Your Life, by Meg Wolitzer. The film tells the story of Dottie Ingels , who works at a cosmetics counter but...
with Julie (Marge Simpson) Kavner
Julie Kavner
Julie Deborah Kavner is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. Noted for her role as Marge Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons, she also voices other characters for the show, including Jacqueline Bouvier, and Patty and Selma Bouvier.Born in Los...
and Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman, OC is a Canadian film producer and director. He is known for the comedies he has directed and produced, especially in the 1980s and 1990s.He is the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 2000.-Early life:...
's (Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
, Twins) box office smash Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 American comedy thriller film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective, who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch drug dealer Cullen Crisp , before Crisp can get to his...
with Arnold (the Governator) Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
. Bob also starred in the Zucker Brothers' (Airplane!
Airplane!
Airplane! is a 1980 American satirical comedy film directed and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures...
, The Naked Gun
The Naked Gun
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! is a 1988 American comedy film that is the first in a The Naked Gun series of films starring Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, George Kennedy, and O. J. Simpson...
) Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
' take off Brain Donors
Brain Donors
Brain Donors is an American comedy movie released by Paramount Pictures, loosely based on the Marx Brothers comedy, A Night at the Opera...
, the 1992 update of the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
' comedy A Night at the Opera
A Night at the Opera (film)
A Night at the Opera is a 1935 American comedy film starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx, and featuring Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Sig Ruman, and Walter Woolf King. It was the first film the Marx Brothers made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after their departure from...
. Nelson plays what would have been the Harpo Marx
Harpo Marx
Adolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...
part; he does speak, but he indulges in some inspired pantomime involving silly props. His specialty act (juggling numerous colorful silk handkerchiefs) is featured in the film.
A bit of Trivia: Nelson was in a comedy group called "The Identical Triplets" with Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
and Rob Bartlett
Rob Bartlett
Robert Bartlett is a comedian, actor and writer who gained widespread fame as a comedian on the radio and television show Imus in the Morning. His most famous characters include: The Godfather, Dr...
.