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 rvoyttbots |
Paul Reed |
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(04/29/07 6:43 PM) |
Character actor best known for playing Captain Block on CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU? I remember he appeared in THE MUNSTERS episode, THE FERGOSI EMERALD. And an episode of THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW called BILKO`S VAMPIRE. He passed away on April 2 at the age of 97. His last film role was in 1968.
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catmandu7 |
Re: Paul Reed | ||
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(04/29/07 7:07 PM) |
Now there a name from the past that I think most people would have assumed had passed on years ago.
Paul Reed was excellent as a foil to Fred Gwynne and Joe E Ross and he really shines in the epiosde where Wally Cox was a master pick pocket. I will have to find that one and rewatch. RIP Mr Reed. |
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rvoyttbots |
Re: Paul Reed | ||
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(04/29/07 7:12 PM) |
I, too, thought he had died decades ago.
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Dr Spyclops |
Re: Paul Reed | ||
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(04/29/07 7:41 PM) |
From the Village Soup Times:
DAMARISCOTTA (April 17): Paul Reed, a character actor best remembered for his work on television in the sixties, died at Greenwich Hospital on April 2, 2007 at the age of 97. Mr. Reed was born to Russian immigrant parents in Highland Falls, NY on June 16, 1909. Born Sidney Kahn, he changed his name first to Paul Roberts and later to Paul Reed. He had 4 sisters and 2 brothers. Their father died of illness when Paul was very young. As their mother could not provide for 7 children, they were placed in various orphanages and foster homes for the next several years. When a few of them were old enough to help support the family, they reunited, living on Chrystie Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side and eventually in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. Paul's early days as a New Yorker in search of ways to survive brought him to the Vaudeville theaters where, during intermission, he dealt in chewing gum bought by the pack and sold by the stick. Soon finding the performers to be a better clientele than the audience, Reed established his place of business at the stage door. On one occasion, a performer grabbed and hauled him out onto the stage where, in the glow of the limelight, Paul had his first encounter with the allure of show business. In his late teens, having recognized that he had a good singing voice (also a commodity, like chewing gum), Paul adjusted his budget to include voice lessons at Carnegie Hall. By the mid-thirties, he was singing on WOR-Mutual Radio. During the forties, he broke into acting on the Broadway musical stage. Over the next 25 years, he landed roles in 18 productions including "Guys and Dolls", "The Music Man", "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and "Promises, Promises". Mr. Reed began his television career in the fifties as a straight man for the comic genius, Sid Caesar. In the sixties, Paul played his most memorable character, the slow-burning "Captain Block" on the popular series, "Car 54, Where Are You?" which led to guest appearances on most of that decade's best known sitcoms. Mr. Reed met his wife, June MacLaren Reed in 1948 while they were both performing in Mike Todd's "Up in Central Park" He is survived by her as well as their son Paul Reed Jr., daughter-in-law Leslie Korda and granddaughter Laila Jen Reed. Paul Reed was laid to rest in Pemaquid, Maine by his family and friends. He died, as he had predicted, from being "ver-r-r-ry old" (Written by Paul Reed, Jr.) |
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MikeTheMook |
Re: Paul Reed | ||
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(04/30/07 7:29 PM) |
The day seems to be fast approaching (sadly) when none of these wonderful people will be left from our favorite old tv shows and movies.
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DrPaulArmstrong |
Re: Paul Reed | ||
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(05/01/07 2:03 PM) |
CAR 54 is my favorite TV comedy, ever. Paul Reed was a brilliant and hilarious part of a fantastic ensemble all under the genius of Nat Hiken. On their memorable Christmas show he even got to show off his terrific baritone, in a very funny Gilbert and Sullivan spoof.
Several years ago, when chatting with Hank Garrett, he told me Reed was still with us. I mentioned this some time later to Al Lewis when I met him and he insisted, "Na, I don't think so--Hank's crazy." Thanks, Paul Reed, for the greatest slow burn ever. |
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Oooze in Oz |
the son of... | ||
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(02/26/08 1:27 PM) |
It's very heartwarming to read these comments about my dad. Thanks, everyone. I am currently working on his biography, which will be titled "You Grew
Up". A quick update: About 7 weeks after we laid him to rest up in Maine, my dad was joined by my mom. We were driving her up there so she could spend
some time in the town of her birth and visit her husband's burial site. We had pulled over somewhere in Connecticut for the first rest stop along the way,
and my mother very suddenly collapsed and died from an apparent massive heart attack. She was 88. As they had requested, the two are now buried side by side.
Once members of that subculture known as "snow birds", my parents are now full-time residents of Maine, where they always found peace.
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catmandu7 |
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(02/28/08 10:33 AM) |
Thats one of the hardest roles to play and thats the authority figure who the comic uses as a foil to play thier comedy off.
He has to play it staright, as an officious sort, and yet still have some humanity.And yet have enough sterness that the comic cant walk over him. Ed Platt, Gale Gordon, Vernon Dent , Paul Ford and your Dad were that sort of actors, and Sid Fields as well. They were in many cases not nearly as well paid as the comics, yet they were just as important in making the people laugh. May they all rest in peace, they did thier jobs so very well. |
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JessieLilley |
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(02/28/08 11:16 AM) |
We were driving her up there so she could spend some time in the town of her birth and visit her husband's burial site. We had pulled over somewhere in Connecticut for the first rest stop along the way, and my mother very suddenly collapsed and died from an apparent massive heart attack. She was 88.Dear Ooze in Oz, aka Mr. Reed. I'm so very sorry to hear of not only your father's passing but the sudden loss of your mother as well. Fine lives they led, and long it seems, but still - the loss of parents is most difficult to bear. I look forward to reading your father's story. Please do let us know when it's ready.
Jessie Lilley
"I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings." |
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DrPaulArmstrong |
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(03/01/08 6:18 PM) |
Oooze in Oz wrote: The fans of your dad and CAR 54 really look forward to reading this. Thanks, and best of luck with it.
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Oooze in Oz |
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(03/02/08 12:03 AM) |
I'm encouraged by this interest in my father's life story. I know it's going to make a good read (no pun intended). I've got some work ahead of
me. People to interview, editors to choose, places to go, Oz to Ooze! I will keep this group up to date on the book's progress, so STAY TUNED!! A factoid
of interest to Car 54 aficionados: It says a lot about the combined talents of Nat Hiken, his staff and the ace performers who populated the 53rd Precinct,
that the show survived as long as it did sharing a time slot with The Ed Sullivan Show. That's what you call worthy competition!
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skelton knaggs |
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(03/02/08 12:33 AM) |
Paul Reed was one of the few men who looked darn handsome with a parakeet on his head.
I'm probably mistaken of Paul Reed playing a Police Captain on a Munster's episode. But I still stand by my above statement of a handsome Mr. Reed wearing a "Keet".
Last Edited By: skelton knaggs
03/03/08 5:00 PM.
Edited 1 times.
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greg mank |
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(03/03/08 7:07 PM) |
It's great to see these posts about Paul Reed. I remember him not only from his terrific tv work, but also vividly recall seeing him in Broadway's
"Promises, Promises" way back in 1970. Reed had wonderful stage presence and superb comic timing, and his singing and dancing in the musical number
"Where Can You Take a Girl" was a show-stopper. The following evening in Manhattan I was crossing a street in the theatre district and right there
next to me was Paul Reed, on his way to another "Promises, Promises" performance. He was wearing a suit and tie (and sunglasses) and I was impressed
that he dressed rather formally to report to the theatre. (Of course, he might have been coming from a buisness appointment, but somehow I got the instinctive
impression he dressed up to go to work, just like any other doctor/lawyer/professional of his era.) I was too shy to say I'd seen him the previous night in
"Promises, Promises" and had enjoyed his work immensely - I wish I had now!
Greg Mank |
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Oooze in Oz |
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(03/04/08 12:30 AM) |
Like I was saying to Skelton: About two years ago, my wife and I were watching some late night TV and, probably by sheer accident (like one of us rolled over
onto the remote), we wound up tuned to Nick at Nite, a channel to which neither of us had ever intentionally tuned before. The teaser indicated that the
Munsters was coming on next. I said to her, "Wouldn't it be a pisser if this turned out to be the one episode my dad was in? Let's leave it on,
just in case it is, and then we can turn it off." Begrudgingly, she agreed. Don't you know it was the episode about the Fregosi Emerald and the
Fregosi Curse. We watched it in stitches. Somehow, I had never seen it before. I guess he made it during one of my more rebellious periods. I never saw him
play anything quite so broadly. He was straight up wacky! He was hilarious! I knew, from his clowning around at home, how silly he could be, but I never saw
him in a role that encouraged such a degree of what I suppose you'd call "zaniness". He never ceased to amaze me.
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Oooze in Oz |
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(03/04/08 12:46 AM) |
To respond to you Greg: My father had shifted his main professional focus toward television by this time, but from 1968 to 1972 he grabbed his one last role in
a hit Broadway musical before leaving the Great WHITE Way for GREENER($) pastures. It was that of Mr. Dobitch in Burt Bacharach's "Promises,
Promises" based on Billy Wilder's "The Apartment". The show's cast was led by Jerry Orbach and featured Jill O'Hara, a very
Bohemian-cute folk guitar strumming woman with a slightly visceral alto voice. Also in the cast were Ed Winters, Marian Mercer and Vince O'Brien. And let
us not neglect to take note of the great dancing of Donna McKechnie, the exotic Baayork Lee and my personal favorite, Julane Stites. Where are you, Julie?
"Promises, Promises" was of musical interest for three reasons. Firstly, Burt Bacharach wrote the tunes (to Hal David's lyrics), secondly, the
vocals from the pit by Ilona Simon, and last but not least, the part-time (sub) percussionist in the pit was the son of the actor playing Mr. Dobitch. And so
this becomes poetic. My dad's last job on Broadway was my first. How kewl wuzzat?
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Sanguinaire E |
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(03/04/08 1:16 PM) |
How very interesting! I grew up watching CAR 54 on Nick at Night, and to this day it remains my all-time favorite sitcom. Captain Block is a classic character for the ages, brought to life by a brilliant and distinctive talent; many thanks to Paul Reed for his hand in creating that magic, and you as well, sir, for sharing these firsthand recollections with us. I'm 28 years old, by the way, so the breadth of the show's appeal might surprise you!
.'. Earl Roesel .'.
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Oooze in Oz |
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(03/05/08 5:23 PM) |
Wow! The breadth of the show's appeal comes as no surprise, but were it not for "Nick at Nite", many younger folks like yourself might never have
been exposed to it. Besides featuring its regulars, Fred Gwynne, Joe E. Ross, Al Lewis, Hank Garrett and Nipsy Russell, the show also served to showcase the
talents of some very funny, talented people like Wally Cox, Larry Storch, Gerry Hiken, Mickey Deems, Charlotte Rae and Molly Picon to name a few. There was
even one show in which the 6'7" Francis Muldoon (Gwynne) had a blind date with a 5'0" Shari Lewis. The camera angle of the pair slow-dancing
together (from behind her, with her chin barely reaching his waist) was timeless! Credit for that would go to not only Nat Hiken but to one of the great unsung
heroes of TV, George Stoetzel A.S.C., cameraman extraordinaire.
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JessieLilley |
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(03/05/08 7:45 PM) |
It's gonna be a great book.
Jessie Lilley
"I'm not an alcoholic, I'm a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings." |
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skelton knaggs |
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(03/05/08 8:34 PM) |
A show like CAR 54 is measured by the gold standard. It will always retain it's high value. And can be appreciated by the young and old alike.
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Monsterpal |
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(03/06/08 1:12 PM) |
Ooze, I'm sorry about the loss of your parents, but I look forward to seeing the book.
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Sanguinaire E |
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(03/06/08 5:24 PM) |
Though the context of this thread, an obituary, is a somber one I couldn't help but recall the many hilarious highlights of CAR 54.
The episode wherein Schnauzer ecstatically wanders into the station clad in hospital pajamas and a bathrobe, mistakenly believing he's inherited a fortune, had me virtually rolling on the floor. Or the one in which Toody recites some "inspirational" spiel only to have Captain Block ask him the source. "It's from your speech to the rookies every year." Just classic material, and only now do I realize it's been years since I've seen the show. It really, really merits a DVD release.
.'. Earl Roesel .'.
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