"When I die, it's going to read, 'Game Show Fixture Passes Away'" May 27, 2007 10:28 PM Subscribe
Charles Nelson Reilly (1931-2007)If, in 1940, you had a lobotomized aunt, an institutionalized father, a racist mother, and were the only gay kid on the block, what do you think the odds would be that you'd end up a Tony winner, a stapleoftelevision, and a generational icon? (contains YouTube links)
posted by LinusMines (90 comments total)
10 users marked this as a favorite
The very first time he went to the circus, it was unfortunately on July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut. Many years later, Reilly said that despite of his love of the theater, he could never sit in an audience again because of that fire.
He was actually an amazing guy. I saw his one man show & it was really wonderful. They turned it into a great film. posted by miss lynnster at 11:16 PM on May 27, 2007
Seriously. I just...I don't trust people who don't like Charles Nelson Reilley. It's like people who tell me they don't like pets. Let's just put aside his brilliance on the stage. I mean, did you even WATCH Match Game? posted by LeeJay at 11:37 PM on May 27, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]
Match Game was the shizit. Brett, Betty, Richard, Gene, Charles, and sometimes Fanny. posted by rainbaby at 11:40 PM on May 27, 2007
I know how crazy this is gonna sound, but... I was just watching the X-file Jose Chung's From Outerspace the other day. posted by vagabond at 11:51 PM on May 27, 2007
Miss Lynnster, thanks for that link to The Life of Reilly. He was a helluva voiceover guy, and I loved him on Match Game, too. *sniff*
. posted by maryh at 12:04 AM on May 28, 2007
I'm now fascinated with the Hartford circus fire: "a bucket brigade consisting of the wardrobe mistress, a whiteface clown, and some midgets ... kept the women's dressing tent from from going up in flames."
And "thousands of panic-stricken people began a desperate stampede to escape the flames that flowed like a breeze across the tent top, a square mile of canvas that had been waterproofed with a pasty mixture of 1800 pounds of paraffin wax and 6000 gallons of gasoline. "
I bet Reilly wasn't the only survivor never to sit in an audience again. posted by pracowity at 12:10 AM on May 28, 2007
It's already been mentioned, but bears repeating: "Jose Chung's From Outer Space" is one of the best hours of network television ever made. posted by Rangeboy at 2:20 AM on May 28, 2007
If there's any justice in the world, Tom Kenny should be cast as the lead in a remake of Uncle Croc's Block.
CNR was one of my favorite figures growing up. Basically, as a kid, I had no idea about his sexuality. I just knew funny. The man was funny.
I later got to watch a production he directed - a remount of Larry Shue's 'The Nerd' with Mark Hamill in the lead. One of the best directed shows I ever had the pleasure to attend.
I know I'm viewing things through a veil of nostalgia, but television was better in the old days and the funny people were funnier. And CNR was one of funniest. posted by tommasz at 4:46 AM on May 28, 2007
I, hmm. I know, hmm, knew and, hmm. He was a component of my alternate universe at a significant period in my first decade. The connection to Krofft led me to HR Pufnstuf, which was an unshared mental torture... This should be part of an anonymous ASK post.
I can say that he both disturbed and attracted me through his obvious deviation from the promoted norms of the age (how odd that homosexuals were adored yet vilified during his life!?).
Good on him and a big MF DOT posted by michswiss at 5:18 AM on May 28, 2007
The Fark post made me laugh: "Dumb Dora Was SO DUMB that when she heard Charles Nelson Reilly had died, instead of praying that he would Rest In Peace she prayed that he would Rest In (blank)" posted by Pater Aletheias at 5:40 AM on May 28, 2007
Wow, just saw Life of Reilly last week. What a life.
out of all that crop of campy people on tv, he was out the whole time (Paul Lynde wasn't, John Inman wasn't, Jim Nabors most certainly wasn't, ...) posted by amberglow at 6:47 AM on May 28, 2007
I personally feel that people in general used to be a lot funnier. My opinion is that prior to tv, people had to communicate and entertain eachother. People were expected to learn how to play the piano, or sing, or learn some magic, or be smart, or be funny... it was a big deal. There was social pressure, you were supposed to find your own little niche so you could be socially successful. Your skills were something you worked hard for, you aimed for. Especially during the depression and the previous wars, my impression is that a lot of people really used their senses of humor and entertainment to get eachother through hard times. When I'm singing jazz, I can really feel that in the songs.
In contrast, now people can sit together and nobody has to say anything. It's not expected or necessary. The focus isn't necessarily on eachother, it's often on a third thing.
There are a lot of things in the past that I'm glad I don't have to deal with (especially as a woman), but I do kind of mourn those qualities in people. While on one hand people are more open and free now, I think humanity seems sadder, lonelier, and perhaps even lessened in other ways. People don't seem to really reach to make eachother laugh or have talents like they used to. I find that a lot of people just AREN'T FUNNY. It's like it doesn't even matter now. Frankly, that seriously bums me out sometimes, and I think that is part of why CNR will be really missed. The man was a natural character and a talent in the oldest and most wonderful sense. And that meant something.
It may not have been his first choice on how he would be remembered, but I loved Match Game. It wasn't a game show so much as a group of friends being witty together, and some other folks got to win money occasionally.
By the way, as a kid I used to think something was wrong with me because I planned my entire day around watching Match Game after school. It was my secret, I didn't want anyone to know because I just knew they wouldn't understand. When I later read that the entire cast of the show was totally drunk for most of the tapings, it made sense. It always felt like I was watching a fun grown up party that I wasn't supposed to be awake for. posted by miss lynnster at 7:25 AM on May 28, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]
Frankly, I thought Richard Dawson would be next to go from Match Game.
I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to watch him do a one-man show. He once read the roster from his first acting class, and he was actually one of the least famous people on the list (Shelley Berman, Hal Holbrook, and Shelley Winters were on it, IIRC). He also said he worked as a "chorus boy" for Mae West at one time. Of course, one of his most hilarious quips from the show was about all his supporting roles on TV:
"I used to wonder who I had to fuck to get on television, but now I wonder who I have to fuck to get off." posted by jonp72 at 8:20 AM on May 28, 2007
Another bizarre thing I remember is that somebody once wrote an unproduced screenplay called "Charles Nelson Reilly Must Die." The premise of the film was that the protagonist was a screenwriter who writes biopics based on odd figures from pop culture (a la The People vs. Larry Flynt or Ed Wood). He writes a screenplay for a biopic about Charles Nelson Reilly, but he forgot that Charles Nelson Reilly was still alive! So in order to get his screenplay sold, he must ensure that Charles Nelson Reilly Must Die! I guess they can't do that screenplay any more. :( It would still be an interesting movie in the vein of "Being John Malkovich" if they did it with another celebrity.
On the other hand, Charles Nelson Reilly was one of the quintessential pop culture figures that would get that quizzical "You mean he's still alive?" response from people.
Y'know I TOTALLY remember that opening and that it scared me. But how did I NOT remember that Lidsville starred Eddie Munster? Why did I not know that? posted by miss lynnster at 9:00 AM on May 28, 2007
Anyone who ever questioned his acting ability, and dismissed him as a 'personality,' needed only to see him in the scenes with Gillian Anderson on Jose Chung's From Outer Space. There's a moment between him and Gillian where he's sitting behind the desk talking to her about his fascination with the subject matter. In that moment he's not performing or acting or hamming it up for the camera - it feels like a very real improvised conversation between two intelligent minds. Objectively one knows it's all on a script, but there's a chemistry between the two of them that's so palpable, it's like they're really just casually talking. Rare and precious to see acting that subtle and seemingly effortless by such a consummate ham. I've never seen Ian McKellen or Peter O'Toole pull off such sincerity. posted by ZachsMind at 9:08 AM on May 28, 2007
Growing up in the 70s, I loved the guy on Match Game and his Bic Banana Pen commercials. posted by porn in the woods at 9:22 AM on May 28, 2007
"I can't look at those old toupees. I get so upset" : > posted by amberglow at 10:06 AM on May 28, 2007
Pink Stëël opens their song "We Fight for Cock" [NSFW ... no doubt!] with the spoken in faux-German preamble "This is the song Charles Nelson Reilly schtol from the Beatles ... and we're going to schteal it back!!" Priceless. posted by kuppajava at 10:38 AM on May 28, 2007
Extra factoid about X-Files episode: Its title includes another title, viz “José Chung’s From Outer Space.” Great for parties with copy-editors or anyone with an interest in the military-industrial-entertainment complex. posted by joeclark at 8:09 PM on May 28, 2007
Charles, Nelson and Reilly. Godspeed to you all. posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 10:07 PM on May 28, 2007
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posted by Heywood Mogroot at 10:31 PM on May 27, 2007