THE FUNNIEST COMEDY ICONS OF THE 20TH CENTURY, VOLUME 1 (paperback)

Journey into a world of comedy featuring some of the best comedians and comediennes of a different time and place.  

Dozens of encounters, each based on a one-on-one interview, some dating as far back asthe 1960s, recalled by John Stalney, for thirty-three years an entertainment writer for the San Francisco Chronicle’s Datebook.

Stanley specialized in exclusive moments with stars and up-and-coming stars, searching for how and why they had succeeded or were trying to succeed with comedy in the worlds of night clubs, television, and motion pictures.

Enter the lives of such historic show biz personalities as:

Sid Caesar

Imogene Coca

Bob Hope

Bing Crosby

Kathryn Grant Crosby

George Burns

Lucille Ball

Art Carney

Jackie Gleason

Audrey Meadows

Milton Berle

Jack Benny

Dennis Day

Sheldon Leonard

Mel Blanc

Hilliard Marks

Rodney Dangerfield

Joan Rivers

Woody Allen

Donald O’Connor

Mae West

Jimmy Durante

Liberace

Peter Sellers

Henry Mancini

Moe Howard

Wally Cox

Greg Garrison

Frank Gorshin

Rich Little

Elliott Gould (M*A*S*H)

Donald Sutherland (M*A*S*H)

Alan Alda (M*A*S*H)

Loretta Swit (M*A*S*H)

Harry Morgan (M*A*S*H)

Mike Farrell (M*A*S*H)

Larry Linville (M*A*S*H)

Sally Kellerman (M*A*S*H)