Frank Fontaine as the much loved Crazy Guggenheim on The Jackie Gleason Show from 1962. As a kid, it was my favorite part of the show.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
22
Aug
Crazy Guggenheim/The Jackie Gleason Show
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@nycretroguy Great stuff and thanks for your Gleason clips. My Gal Sal was also the name of the movie bio of Paul Dresser. It starred Victor Mature and Rita Hayworth. This song was also the first song heard in the first talking picture, The Jazz Singer. If you have any clips of George Jessel with Gleason on his show, I hope you can post them.
they don’t have anything like this anymore!! what a shame!!! skits by Gleason were the best and had a live audience!! none of this canned laughter crap you get today!!! we had it good in those days!!! people today will never know and don’t realize it!!! the song gleason sings is my gal sal!!!
HI, WHEN MY AUNT TERRY GOT MARRIED IN AUGUST 1963 I WAS 7 1/2 YRS. OLD, SHE MADE ME GET UP AND DO MY FRANKIE FONTAINE/CRAZY GUGGENHEIM IMITATION IN FRONT OF 350 PEOPLE, I CAN STILL REMEMBER HER TELLING ME TO USE MY COUSIN STEVIE’S HAT SO I WOULD LOOK LIKE CRAZY,THE PEOPLE ALL CRACKED UP, AND THE ONES THAT ARE STILL AROUND STILL TALK ABOUT IT,IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR I WILL BE 54, & SHE IS 89, THANKS-SO MUCH,-MIKE
HI, IN AUGUST 1963 WHEN I WAS 7 1/2 YRS OLD AT MY AUNT TERRY’S WEDDING, SHE MADE ME GET UP IN FRONT OF 350 PEOPLE TO DO MY IMITATION OF FRANKIE FONTAINE/CRAZY GUGGENHEIM, I CAN STILL REMEMBER HER SAYING TO ME, “MICHAEL, BORROW YOUR COUSIN STEVIES HAT”, THEN SHE ANNOUNCED ME TO THE CROWD, MY NEPHEW MICHAEL IS GOING TO IMITATE FRANKIE FONTAINE AS CRAZY GUGGENHEIM. THE PEOPLE STILL TALK ABOUT IT TO THIS DAY, IN NOVEMBER I WILL BE 54, THANKS SO MUCH,-MIKE
4-U-DA-50+KID
That laugh that Frank Fontaine had as Guggenheim LOL i’m ROTFL remembering, classic t.v. at it’s best. I remember so well as a small child sitting in the living room with the whole family watching these when they were brand new. Alot of excellent memories here. Thanks really enjoyed this:):):):):)
Joe the bartender…loved it as a kid…
Some of the BEST television ever made was the Jackie Gleason Show.
Heh heh What do you think of pay Youtube?
Others here have mentioned the cartoon character, Pete Puma, being based on Crazy Guggenheim. Let’s not forget, Fred Flintstone is based on The Great One’s Ralph Kramden.
@bradley825 This was the first year 1962. After the move to Miami a year later, Fontaine doing the “crazy” skit in the bar with Gleason and then singing to conclude the sketch was a lways the highiight of the Gleason show those three years.
@schiavone402
Do you really think that “Larry the Cable Guy” is exemplary of modern comedy? Clearly it’s not.
Frank Foutaine was also a great ventriloquist. He could do many voice imitations. A very underrated comedian
You don’t find comics like Frankie Fontaine anymore. These guys worked on their character, worked on their craft. Curly and Shemp Howard were other ones. Today, it’s all about standing in front of a mike and swearing. Even a guy like Larry the Cable Guy, who is a funny character, doesn’t have enough material for a five minute show if you took out all the off-color stuff.
You don’t find comics like Frankie Fontaine anymore. These guys worked on their character, worked on their craft. Curly and Shemp Howard were other ones. Today, it’s all about standing in front of a mike and swearing. Even a guy like Larry the Cable Guy, who is a funny character, doesn’t have enough material for a five minute show if you took out all the off-color stuff.
Use to watch his show in the early 90s when it was on late night. Favorite part was always the bar scene skit.
Yes! Thanks for posting! Crazy Guggenheim was my favorite on the show too. My mom used to say Crazy Guggenheimer I think. I was like, wow, they have a real crazy guy on TV!
Anyway, big laugh when Gleason says, “This is the average man, Mr, Dunahee” I liked the June Talor dancers too. I liked their legs at 7 years old!
I just found this website that has this movie and a ton others its called
watchenmovies . com
Comedy SURE has changed.
God rest him Frank Fontaine, aka CRAZY I knew him I met him i interviewed him. What a fine gentleman. The Jackie gleason show ah we miss shows like this Jack & Frank are immortsal what classic comedy. Ah we wish for those days again American Scene Magazine. Thanks Jack& Frank. TOMKES tv film historian
If any you guys are ever in San Diego check out the Seven Seas Best Western hotel. Frank’s son (Zack) has a bar there. Zack can be a real riot.
It’s a shame you couldn’t get away with Crazy these days. Too P.C. I’d still like to see Amos n Andy back on the tube. I have every episode but TV deserves Amos n Andy.
Too bad too many groups would probably protest a character like “Craze”. He was Jim Nabors’ Gomer Pyle with some bad wiring.
John L C Savoney was Fontaine also, I saw it in his bio, the cartoon character Pete Puma was based on him.
The blonde in the beginning looks like a deer caught in the headlights!