GEORGE GOBEL
Comedian
May 20, 1919 - February 24, 1991
This was my first successful signature to The Tablecloth after a botched attempt six months earlier when I tried to add Sammy Davis, Jr. and Billy Ekstien the winter of 1982. This took place on July 30, 1983.
"Lonesome George", initially, a country music singer on "National Barn Dance" WLS radio, turned to comedy after World War II. Best known as star of his own The George Gobel Television Show, 1954-1960, his laid back soft homespun style of humor caught on and kept him one of America's most popular comedians over the years.
I can still see Johnny Carson falling down from laughing so hard on one of his shows in 1969 after introducing George to the show. Bob Hope and Dean Martin were seated next to each other on the couch after having gone through their introductions and routines.
Gobel slowly and sheepishly crept to center stage with only a hint of a smile. "Hello George," came the voice of Carson. "Welcome to the show. How are you feeling?" Followed by dead silence and pause. Gobel looked straight at Carson, then at Hope and then at Martin. The camera man followed each expression of every person flawlessly. Another slight hesitation then, "Well neighbor, did you ever feel that the whole world was a tuxedo and you were a pair of brown shoes?"
It took three full minutes to get the audience settled down and another two minutes for Johnny to return to his chair and regain his composure from laughing so hard. This explosion of laughter turned out to be one of the most classic moments in comedy history.
Even though I had met many top celebrities while traveling the circuit playing my drums, I was still quite nervous meeting my first celebrity to sign The Tablecloth. I gave George a special Horseshoe I had made for him which included a funny version of his wife "Spooky Ol Alice", a guitar and trinkets. I was thrilled to meet George Gobel as well as his son Gregg , who took the pictures with my stubborn Polaroid camera.
George showed a lot of interest in the collection and signed a very nice signature. I let him know that he was my first autograph. There were only 77 signatures on the cloth that day and George Gobel made it #78. A most memorable and historic day for me and The Tablecloth collection.
What a fantastic beginning for "A Gathering of Legends."