As an aside, I think that one of the funniest films of Danny Kaye's was "The Court Jester" of 1956. The scene: "The Pellet with the Poison's in the Vessel with the Pestle" is on RU-vid and hilarious!
It's an alliteration based humour and it was a thing back then . It still works today with kids. Anyway I said ,,an anomaly,, recently and my 88 year old friend laughed. He does seem to like alliterations .
Thank you for posting this 11 years ago. I adored Danny Kaye growing up and still appreciate his talent and very special performances. That said, Jose Ferrer is an extraordinarily talented and underrated actor known for his dramatic performances but as you can see can hold his own as a comic straight man.
There’s no one ever that could replace the charm & multiple talents of the legendary Danny Kaye. Miss him forever. Oh the tremendous impersonations. Nothing like it now.
When variety TV shows ruled the airwaves and we got to see great stars like Danny Kaye! The British intelligence officer was played by the great Jose Ferrer. a top-notch actor. I esp. liked him in The Caine Mutiny with Humphrey Bogart. His dressing down of Fred McMurray at the end is one of the great dramatic moments in film history.
1-derful, delightfull comedy with rwo great actors. Academy Award winner José Ferrer, born in Santurce, Puerto Rico (like me), who was widely recognized for his perfect English speaking was also adept in French, Italian and his native Español. Danny Kaye, you have to see White Christmas (1954, co-starring Bing Crosby and also Rosemary Clooney, who was Ferrer's wife at that time) to fully appreciate how talented , versatile and funny this man was.
I'm 65 at this time and I'm sorry to say that I was too young ( 3 or 4 ) in Danny Kaye's last year's for his comedic Style ( 20 or so ) . Being set in front of the TV but he got me to laugh or so I'm told . I've seen only some of his movies as an adult " the Inspector General " , " the Court Jester " , " I'm dreaming of a white Christmas " , " The Life and Times of Walter Mitty " and a few others that I can't remember . Sorry to say that the last time I saw him was on " the Cosby Show " as an older Dentist . I think that he may have a cameo appearance on other comedy shows before he died in the late 70's or early 80's . He was underrated and unutilized but still managed to appear with other famous stars of the times Fred Astaire , Ginger Rogers , Bing Crosby and so many others of Fame of the past . His talents were numerous Comedian , song and dance , famous for his tongue twisting abilities and yes even some Romance . And never a foul word on the movie screen or television .
Thank you for uploading! That was great. I was searching for the Danny Thomas show and You Tube offered Danny Kaye. I remembered how I used to love his show too and decided to watch. Looking for more now ...
@@johnemerson1363 Have you seen him in the 1952 movie Moulin Rouge as the famous painter Henri Toulouse Lautrec ? What a brilliant performance. To perform this act as a crippeled short legged Henri Toulouse Lautrec his legs had to be tied back. Walked on his knees. Must have been a painfull experience for him. 😳😩👍👍👍
Wow! Danny Kay God Bless You I Love YOU and cannot believe when I'm reminded back to my childhood where I was told I would die at children's hospital in Boston at age 10. Danny I'll never forget you and you helped God when God put you in front of me and how happy you made me. See you in heaven Danny I'm hoping and I'm pretty positive that you like Paul and the others and myself have gotten. Rest In Peace.
The first bit where the British Sgt. came in with the formal steps, turning , saluting, was not exaggerated, very accurate and extremely well rehearsed. It was (is?) a remnant of Parade Ground formality or protocol where nobody can proceed casually in the presence of an officer with a King's.or Queen's Commission. Danny Kaye's brilliant piss take was legendary although some American Parade Ground requirements are equally ludicrous, like only ever marching in straight lines and special step routines to turn left, right or about turn,
@@johnlewis9745 Nor mine. I always thought Windsor Davies, as BSM Williams in 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum', had it down to a T. He served as a National Serviceman, but obviously was a close observer of the senior NCOs he knew. He was respectful in his drill and manner of address to officers, but scarcely disguised his contempt for some of them.
I agree. Today many comics today, (for example, Eddy Murphy, Robin Williams just name a couple) think vulgarity (more the better) is required to be funny. Just opposite is true. As far as I am concerned the truly funny comics are those who can make you laugh with the filth they think is funny.
I have not seen that Danny Kaye sketch before. It was one of the best ones I have seen of him and José Ferrer did a damned good upper class British accent too. I nearly wet myself with the Sgt and his hand salute. I didn't think it was ever going to stop. I wonder if Danny had a hand in writing that sketch because he always seemed to do a lot of alliteration and tongue twisters in his comedy. Just read his Wikipedia page and it says his wife did a lot of the writing. Man what an incredible team they made.
@@gswombat Nah mate not me. I'm English through and through and have been for the last 64 yrs. Like I said before his accent ain't that bad and others have agreed with me. If you want an abysmal English accent look no further than Dick Van Dyke
@@laurab5750 It was actually the court jester being randomly on tv in my house that made me discover him. I was just passing by and ended up watching the whole thing
As soon as I saw the Intelligence Officer, I recognised an actor I saw as a lad about 1963 in Lawrence of Arabia. He must have done a pretty good job to make such a memorable impression on me as the Turkish officer, also doing an interrogation, but of Lawrence, the Britisher. He was José Ferrer.
Do we know who wrote this? There's a touch of Sykes (even early Milligan) in it. Definitely feels British, from somebody who knew army life, from the piss-taking of British army footwork.
