Pinky Lee
Encyclopedia
Pincus Leff better known as Pinky Lee, was an American burlesque
comic and host of a children's television program, The Pinky Lee Show, in the early 1950s.
, Lee worked as comic of the "baggy pants" variety on stage, becoming an expert at the slapstick
, comic dancing and rapid-fire jokes of the burlesque style. During the 1940s, he was heard on Drene Time
and other radio programs.
Easily recognized by his trademark lisp and his high-energy antics, his signature costume was a loud plaid
suit
with baggy checkered
pants and an undersized hat. During his routines, whenever anybody irritated him (which happened frequently) he would unleash his catchphrase: "Oooooh! You make me so mad!"
in a 15-minute sitcom, Those Two.
He returned in 1954 with The Pinky Lee Show, an Emmy-nominated afternoon children's program that spawned later imitators such as Pee-Wee's Playhouse
. It was followed each day by the popular Howdy Doody Show. He opened each show with his trademark theme song, "Yoo Hoo, It's Me!":
(Audience): Pinky!
Others in the cast: Betty Jane Howarth, Jimmy Brown, Molly Bee
, Jack McCoy, Mel Koontz, Cindy Sue, Susabelle, Ken Mayer, Isabel Dwan, Sidney Fields
, Margie Lizst, Milton Newberger and Jymme Shore. Adding greatly to the show's bounce and style was master organist Gaylord Carter
, who underscored every moment with rock-solid, copasetic accompaniment.
In 1955, Lee collapsed on camera due to an infection, and the show continued without him until 1956. Rumors that he had died of a heart attack
, prompted by the incident, persisted for decades. Occasionally, newspapers carried items mentioning the "late" Lee - even though he was performing at a dinner theater
in the same city as the reporting newspaper. The incident also spawned rumors that Lee had been institutionalized
after going insane
on live television
.
In 1957, Lee hosted The Gumby Show
, the original appearance of that claymation character. In 1964, Lee attempted a return to kids' TV by hosting a local children's comedy program on KABC-TV
in Los Angeles. This series was in national syndication for the 1964-65 TV seasons, but the program fell prey to creative interference from the show's producers and station management. Lee tried to fight off the interference, but his efforts were for naught. The Pinky Lee Kids TV Show went off the air after one season. One episode of the show was released on DVD/VHS by Shokus Video, and a DVD with two episodes was released by Alpha Video
.
, Earl Carroll's Vanities, and Blonde Ransom among several others, and he appeared on other television shows, including Ed Sullivan
's Toast of the Town.
.
American burlesque
American Burlesque is a genre of variety show. Derived from elements of Victorian burlesque, music hall and minstrel shows, burlesque shows in America became popular in the 1860s and evolved to feature ribald comedy and female striptease...
comic and host of a children's television program, The Pinky Lee Show, in the early 1950s.
Biography
Born in Saint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, Lee worked as comic of the "baggy pants" variety on stage, becoming an expert at the slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
, comic dancing and rapid-fire jokes of the burlesque style. During the 1940s, he was heard on Drene Time
Drene Time
Drene Time was a 30-minute radio variety show starring Don Ameche and singer-actress Frances Langford as co-hosts, airing on NBC's Sunday night schedule in 1946-47....
and other radio programs.
Easily recognized by his trademark lisp and his high-energy antics, his signature costume was a loud plaid
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
suit
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
with baggy checkered
Check (fabric)
A check is a pattern consisting of crossed horizontal and vertical lines forming squares.-Etymology:...
pants and an undersized hat. During his routines, whenever anybody irritated him (which happened frequently) he would unleash his catchphrase: "Oooooh! You make me so mad!"
Television
In 1950, he had his own 30-minute primetime variety television series on NBC, The Pinky Lee Show, featuring vaudevillians and burlesque comics. In 1951-52 he starred with Vivian BlaineVivian Blaine
Vivian Blaine was an American actress and singer best known for originating the role of Miss Adelaide in the musical theater production Guys and Dolls.-Life and career:...
in a 15-minute sitcom, Those Two.
He returned in 1954 with The Pinky Lee Show, an Emmy-nominated afternoon children's program that spawned later imitators such as Pee-Wee's Playhouse
Pee-wee's Playhouse
Pee-wee's Playhouse is an American children's television program starring Paul Reubens as the child-like Pee-wee Herman. The show was developed from Reubens' popular stage show and the one-off TV special The Pee-wee Herman Show, produced for HBO, which was similar in style but featured much more...
. It was followed each day by the popular Howdy Doody Show. He opened each show with his trademark theme song, "Yoo Hoo, It's Me!":
- Yoo hoo, it's me,
- My name is Pinky Lee.
- I skip and run with lots of fun
- For every he and she.
- It's plain to see
- That you can tell it's me
- With my checkered hat
- And my checkered coat,
- The funny giggle in my throat
- And my silly dance
- Like a billy goat.
- Put 'em all together,
- Put 'em all together,
- And it's whooooo?
(Audience): Pinky!
Others in the cast: Betty Jane Howarth, Jimmy Brown, Molly Bee
Molly Bee
Molly Bee , born Mollie Gene Beachboard, was an American country music singer famous for her 1952 recording of the early perennial, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", and as Pinky Lee's sidekick on The Pinky Lee Show.Bee was also well known in the 1950s in Los Angeles, California as a regular on...
, Jack McCoy, Mel Koontz, Cindy Sue, Susabelle, Ken Mayer, Isabel Dwan, Sidney Fields
Sidney Fields
Sidney Fields was a comedy actor and writer best known for his featured role on The Abbott and Costello Show in the early 1950s. He was sometimes credited as "Sid Fields" and "Sidney Field."...
, Margie Lizst, Milton Newberger and Jymme Shore. Adding greatly to the show's bounce and style was master organist Gaylord Carter
Gaylord Carter
Gaylord Carter was an American organist and the composer of many film scores that were added to silent movies released on video tape or disks.-Early Life and Musical Beginnings:...
, who underscored every moment with rock-solid, copasetic accompaniment.
In 1955, Lee collapsed on camera due to an infection, and the show continued without him until 1956. Rumors that he had died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, prompted by the incident, persisted for decades. Occasionally, newspapers carried items mentioning the "late" Lee - even though he was performing at a dinner theater
Dinner theater
Dinner theater is a form of entertainment that combines a restaurant meal with a staged play or musical. Sometimes the play is incidental entertainment, secondary to the meal, in the style of a sophisticated night club, or the play may be a major production with dinner less important, or in some...
in the same city as the reporting newspaper. The incident also spawned rumors that Lee had been institutionalized
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
after going insane
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
on live television
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
.
In 1957, Lee hosted The Gumby Show
Gumby
Gumby is a green clay humanoid character created and modeled by Art Clokey, who also created Davey and Goliath. Gumby has been the subject of a 233-episode series of American television as well as a feature-length film and other media...
, the original appearance of that claymation character. In 1964, Lee attempted a return to kids' TV by hosting a local children's comedy program on KABC-TV
KABC-TV
KABC-TV, channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Los Angeles, California. KABC-TV's studios are located in Glendale, California...
in Los Angeles. This series was in national syndication for the 1964-65 TV seasons, but the program fell prey to creative interference from the show's producers and station management. Lee tried to fight off the interference, but his efforts were for naught. The Pinky Lee Kids TV Show went off the air after one season. One episode of the show was released on DVD/VHS by Shokus Video, and a DVD with two episodes was released by Alpha Video
Alpha Video
Alpha Video is an entertainment company, based near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that specializes in the manufacturing and marketing of public domain movies and TV shows on DVD...
.
Movies
Lee can be seen in films, including Lady of BurlesqueLady of Burlesque
Lady of Burlesque is a 1943 American mystery film starring Barbara Stanwyck and Michael O'Shea, based on the novel The G-String Murders written by famous strip tease artist Gypsy Rose Lee...
, Earl Carroll's Vanities, and Blonde Ransom among several others, and he appeared on other television shows, including Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
's Toast of the Town.
Later years and death
In later years, Lee worked as a teacher and appeared in regional musical theater productions. He died in Mission Viejo, CaliforniaMission Viejo, California
Mission Viejo is a city located in southern Orange County, California, U.S. in the Saddleback Valley. Mission Viejo is considered one of the largest master-planned communities ever built under a single project in the United States, and is rivaled only by Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in its size...
.
Watch
Legacy
- In GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, Rizzo remarks, "To you from me, Pinky Lee!", after she throws Kenickie's milkshake in his face. - Gene KellyGene KellyEugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
plays dancing comic Pinky Benson in What a Way to Go!What a Way to Go!What a Way to Go! is a 1964 American comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Shirley MacLaine, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, Dean Martin, Gene Kelly, Margaret Dumont, Bob Cummings and Dick Van Dyke.-Plot:...
(1964) - Paul ReubensPaul ReubensPaul Reubens is an American actor, writer, film producer, and comedian, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman. Reubens joined the Los Angeles troupe The Groundlings in the 1970s and started his career as an improvisational comedian and stage actor...
loosely based his Pee-wee HermanPee-wee HermanPee-wee Herman is a comic fictional character created and portrayed by American comedian Paul Reubens. He is best known for his two television series and film series during the 1980s. The childlike Pee-wee Herman character developed as a stage act that quickly led to an HBO special in 1981...
character on Pinky Lee, wearing a similar outfit and employing similar mannerisms.
External links
- IMDB entry
- Pinky Lee Show at TV PartyTV PartyTV Party was a Public-access television cable TV show in New York City that ran from 1978 to 1982. Glenn O'Brien was the host. Chris Stein, co-founder of the pop band Blondie, was the co-host and Walter "Doc" Steding was the leader of the TV Party orchestra. Amos Poe was the director...
.