Jerry Bergen was a comedic actor and performer. He was in numerous films and television shows and he also performed on the vaudeville circuit. '' The Chicago Sunday Tribune'' called him "one of the funniest men in the world". He hosted his own short-lived 15 minute variety show titled '' Buzzy Wuzzy''. He performed

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

s and musical comedy. He also appeared on various television comedy variety shows. The ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving Greater Pittsburgh, metropolitan Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the fi ...

'' referred to Bergen as a "top pantomime comedian". Small in stature, he was reported to be 4 feet 6 inches tall. A ''Billboard'' article reported that his first vaudeville performance was in 1930 in the

afterpiece An afterpiece is a short, usually humorous one-act playlet or musical work following the main attraction, the full-length play, and concluding the theatrical evening.p24 "The Chambers Dictionary"Edinburgh, Chambers, 2003 This short comedy, farce ...

''Amateur Night'' that played at the Palace Theatre in New York. He had previously been a drummer with the Meyer Davis Orchestra. He also played the fiddle. A review of the 1952 show in which he performed at Ciro's London read, in part, "Way above the rest is diminutive Jerry Bergen, whose comedics on the violin rouses the customers and brings new life to a limping show. He's a natural comic and his entire act bears the stamp of impeccable timing and immaculate showmanship. Show would have been far more attractive had he been allowed to hold the fort alone"."Night Club Reviews: Ciro's, London." ''Variety''. Vol. 188, Iss. 9, (Nov 5, 1952): 50. He appeared on ''The Jackie Gleason Show''. He was also on '' The Lambs Gambol'' comedy television show.

Filmography

* '' 20,000 Cheers for the Chain Gang'' (1933) * '' Tomalio'' (1933) * ''

With Love and Kisses ''With Love and Kisses'' is a 1936 American musical comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Pinky Tomlin, Toby Wing and Kane Richmond. It was produced on Poverty Row as a second feature for release by Ambassador Pictures.Pitts p.3 ...

'' (1936) * '' The Little Maestro (American film)'' (1937) * '' Flying with Music'' (1942) as Wilbur * '' Big V Comedies'' film short * '' Let's Get Tough!'' (1942) * ''

The Pirate (1948 film) ''The Pirate'' is a 1948 American musical film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It stars Judy Garland and Gene Kelly with costars Walter Slezak, Gladys Cooper, Reginald Owen, The Nicholas Brothers, and George Zucco, with music by Cole Porte ...

'' as Bolo * '' Buzzy Wuzzy'' (1948), television show, starred with

Imogene Coca Imogene Coca (born Emogeane Coca; November 18, 1908 – June 2, 2001) was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite Sid Caesar on ''Your Show of Shows''. Starting out in vaudeville as a child acrobat, she studied ballet and pursu ...

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergen, Jerry 20th-century American comedians Place of birth missing American vaudeville performers American male comedians American comedy musicians American mimes American drummers American fiddlers 1899 births 1986 deaths