Thank you so much for this video. I have watched Jonathon over and over and never tire of him. He and Dean obviously appreciated each other. I had not seen this clip or at least remembered it, it sets the standard for me.
Theres no doubt that they both enjoyed each others company and its impossible to count the many times over the years that Dean had to cover his face to hide himself from cracking up when in the company of the fabulous J.W. Thank you for posting.
Thanks for posting this ! it was hilarious ! especially the phone call routine ! According to Dean's producer Greg Garrison, Jonathan Winters was allowed to use his own material on the show, consequently Dean would never know what Winters would say and do during each sketch. Dean's reactions were always spontaneous. Here Dean turns the tables on Winters during the phone call routine !
It's official: Their styles were different, but compatible... Dino could improvise toe-to-toe with Jonny, and most importantly: Each knew how to set up the other for a spike!
I'd love to know if Winters had a basic outline in his head when doing these things or if he was just ad libbing in real time. It's impossible to tell. We do know for sure that NOBODY on the show had any idea what was gonna come out of his mouth and that PROBABLY included Winters. He just kills me and the combo of Dean and WInters was unbeatable. Nothing fancy, just FUNNY! It really says something that good comedy was such a common occurrence when Dean was involved.
They had a general road-map, if you will. For example, in this clip, they would have run over the story-line and Martin would have memorised his funny responses to the fixed bits, such as the hunting by night and the phone conversation with the lady bitten by the dog. But what came out of Jonathan's mouth was totally, both before and after the scripted items, was completely ad-lib; he made it up on the fly. This happened with everything Jonathan did, whether it be on the Dean Martin Show or with another often-seen favourite host, Johnny Carson. Another who had this ability was Tim Conway; the Carol Burnett Show is full of Tim's ad-libbing.
There used to be a sketch on youtube with the 2 of em' where Jonothan was an old old man, ((something Boothcourt) and it was great. I wish i had grabbed it so i could repost it !
Exciting to have the assistant to the mayor but he got bitten by a bug. Filling in with Mr. Dean Martin. “That’s pathetic.” “Last year we found a wasp.”Hardelston Straw People.” Calling a shut in. Mrs.Wayne Sockstetter.” This was the Johnathan Winters I remember. Martin Mull was certainly influenced for Fernwood Tonight.
Winters was a complete improv genius , you never knew what hed come up with. Robin Williams on the other hand would repeat bits after you watched him long enough.
Johnathan Winters with Dean as his guess. Mr.Winters gave Dean a ment golf club and some hay. Dean hunt a 2 legget deer. Mrs. Scoketer got bet by a dog in the face.
I'm pretty sure that Jonathan Winters, Johnny Carson and Dean Martin were running buddies back in their drinking days. What mayhem that must have been...
