Lawrence Samuel Storch (January 8, 1923 – July 8, 2022) was an American actor and comedian known for his comic television roles, including voice-over work for cartoon shows such as Mr. Whoopee on '' Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales'' and his live-action role of the bumbling Corporal Randolph Agarn on '' F Troop'' that won a nomination for

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

in 1967.

Early life

Lawrence Samuel Storch was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on January 8, 1923, the son of Alfred Storch, a cabdriver and broker, and his wife, Sally Kupperman Storch, a telephone operator, jewelry-store owner and rooming-house operator. ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' reported that he was born in

the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, whereas ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' reported that he was born in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

and ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'' reported that he was born on the

Upper West Side The Upper West Side (UWS) is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Central Park on the east, the Hudson River on the west, West 59th Street to the south, and West 110th Street to the north. The Upper We ...

. His parents were observant

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

. He attended

DeWitt Clinton High School DeWitt Clinton High School is a public high school located since 1929 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Opened in 1897 in Lower Manhattan as an all-boys school, it maintained that status for 86 years before becoming co-ed in 1983. From i ...

in the Bronx with Don Adams, who remained his lifelong friend. Storch said that, because of hard times in the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

, he never graduated from high school, instead finding work as a comic for $12 a week, opening for bandleader Al Donahue at the band shell in Sheepshead Bay. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

, where he was shipmates with

Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor with a career that spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 films, in roles co ...

on the

submarine tender A submarine tender, in British English a submarine depot ship, is a type of depot ship that supplies and supports submarines. Development Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally cannot carry large amounts of foo ...

Career

Performing

Storch was originally a comic. It led to guest appearances on dozens of television series: ''

Mannix ''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that originally aired for eight seasons on CBS from September 16, 1967, to March 13, 1975. The show was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer ...

''; ''

Car 54, Where Are You? ''Car 54, Where Are You?'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1961 to April 1963. Filmed in black and white, the series starred Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon, two mismatched New York City Po ...

''; '' Hennesey''; ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...

''; '' Sergeant Bilko''; ''

Columbo ''Columbo'' is an American crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. After two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, the show originall ...

''; '' CHiPs''; '' Fantasy Island''; '' McCloud''; '' Emergency!''; ''

The Flying Nun ''The Flying Nun'' is an American fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series about a community of nuns, which included one who could fly when the wind caught her cornette. It was produced by Screen Gems for American Broadcasting Comp ...

''; ''

Alias Smith and Jones ''Alias Smith and Jones'' is an American Western television series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. The show initially starred Pete Duel (and, after Duel's death, Roger Davis) as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy ...

''; '' The Alfred Hitchcock Hour''; '' That Girl''; ''

I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series created by Sidney Sheldon and starring Barbara Eden as a beautiful but guileless 2,000-year-old Jinn, genie and Larry Hagman as an astronaut with whom s ...

''; '' Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''; ''

Gilligan's Island ''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson, and Dawn Wells. It aired for th ...

''; ''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast chang ...

''; '' The Persuaders''; ''

Love, American Style ''Love, American Style'' is an American anthology comedy television series that aired on ABC from September 29, 1969, to January 11, 1974. The series was produced by Paramount Television. During the 1971–72 and 1972–73 seasons, it was a pa ...

''; ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American sitcoms in the United States, sitcom television series that aired on CBS for nine seasons from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979, with a total of 205 episodes. It was later produced as ''Archie Bunker's Pla ...

''; '' Kolchak: The Night Stalker'' and '' Married... with Children''. F Troop cast 1965

His most famous role was from 1965 to 1967 as the scheming Corporal Randolph Agarn on the situation comedy '' F Troop'', with Forrest Tucker, Ken Berry and Melody Patterson, for which he was nominated for an

in 1967. Other memorable performances from the 1960s were Texas Jack in the barroom brawl scene of ''

The Great Race ''The Great Race'' is a 1965 American Technicolor epic slapstick comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood, written by Arthur A. Ross (from a story by Edwards and Ross) and with music by Henr ...

'' and the eponymous character in the Groovy Guru episode of ''

''. In 1975, Storch co-starred with Bob Burns (who wore a gorilla costume) and Forrest Tucker on the short-lived but popular Saturday morning children's show '' The Ghost Busters''. He also appeared on ''

The Love Boat ''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by Wilford Lloyd Baumes that originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1977, to May 24, 1986. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series pre ...

'', S1 E15 & S2 E9 (1978); was Al Bundy's childhood hero on '' Married... with Children'' (Al Bundy's daughter Kelly attended an acting school operated by Larry); and was a semi-regular on ''

''. He co-starred on the short-lived series '' The Queen and I''.

Variety show appearances

Storch appeared on many variety shows, including '' Sonny and Cher'', ''

Laugh-In ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for six seasons from January 22, 1968, to July 23, 1973, on the NBC television network. The show, hosted by come ...

'', ''

Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show originally aired as a ...

'', '' Playboy After Dark'', and ''

The Hollywood Palace ''The Hollywood Palace'' was an hourlong American television variety show broadcast Saturday nights (except September 1967 to January 1968, when it aired on Tuesday nights) on ABC from January 4, 1964, to February 7, 1970. Titled ''The Satur ...

'', with several appearances on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'', ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...

'', and '' The Steve Allen Show''.

Jackie Gleason Herbert John Gleason (born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr.; February 26, 1916June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American comedian, actor, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One". He developed a style and characters from growin ...

asked Storch to fill in for him in the summer of 1953 while Gleason was on hiatus. It led to the 10-episode '' The Larry Storch Show'' with guest stars including Janet Blair, Risë Stevens, Dick Haymes, and

Cab Calloway Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was a regular performer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he became a popular vocalist of the Swing music, swing era. His niche ...

As an impressionist and voiceover actor

An impressionist, Storch recreated hundreds of voices and

dialect A dialect is a Variety (linguistics), variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standard language, standardized varieties as well as Vernacular language, vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardize ...

s ranging from

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...

Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British and American actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. He was the recipient of numerous accolades, including four Academy Award nominations for Academy Award for Best Supp ...

and voiced characters in many television and film animations, including '' The Pink Panther Show'', '' Groovie Goolies'', '' The Inspector'', '' The Brady Kids'', '' Cool Cat'', '' Koko the Clown'', '' Treasure Island'', and '' Tennessee Tuxedo''. Storch worked with Mel Blanc and

June Foray June Foray (born June Lucille Forer; September 18, 1917 – July 26, 2017) was an American Voice acting, voice actress and radio personality, best known as the voice of such animation, animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha F ...

at Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, voicing characters such as Merlin the Magic Mouse and Cool Cat. He continued his association with Filmation as a voiceover actor in other series and films the company produced, including '' Journey Back to Oz'' (1972) where he voiced Amos, farmhand to Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.

Film appearances

Storch appeared in more than 25

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

films, including '' Gun Fever'' (1958), '' Who Was That Lady?'' (1960), ''

40 Pounds of Trouble ''40 Pounds of Trouble'' is a 1962 comedy film directed by Norman Jewison and starring Tony Curtis, Suzanne Pleshette, Larry Storch and Phil Silvers. It is a retelling of Damon Runyon's 1932 short story '' Little Miss Marker''. Plot Casino man ...

'' (1962), '' Captain Newman, M.D.'' (1963), '' Wild and Wonderful'' (1964), '' Sex and the Single Girl'' (1964), and ''

'' (1965). He also appeared in '' Bus Riley's Back in Town'' (1965), '' A Very Special Favor'' (1965), '' That Funny Feeling'', (1965), '' The Great Bank Robbery'' (1969), ''

Airport 1975 ''Airport 1975'' (also known as ''Airport '75'') is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film ''Airport''. It was directed by Jack Smight, produced by William Frye, executive produced by Jennings Lang, a ...

'' (1974), '' The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington'' (1977), '' Record City'' (1978), '' S.O.B'' (1981), ''Fake-Out'' (1982), '' Sweet Sixteen'' (1983), and '' A Fine Mess'' (1986), as well as the cult sci-fi films '' The Monitors'' (1969) and '' Without Warning'' (1980). Tony Curtis and Storch reunited for a 2003 run of the musical version of ''

Some Like It Hot ''Some Like It Hot'' is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, with George Raft, Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee an ...

''. In 2005, he worked with

Anthony Michael Hall Anthony Michael Hall (born Michael Anthony Thomas Charles Hall; April 14, 1968) is an American actor, producer and comedian. After his film debut in ''Six Pack (film), Six Pack'' (1982) and a supporting role as Russell "Rusty" Griswold in ''Nat ...

in ''Funny Valentine'' and appeared in the documentary feature '' The Aristocrats''.

Stage work

After success in television and films, Storch returned to the New York stage, having first performed on the Broadway stage in the 1950s. He received rave reviews for the Off-Broadway production of ''Breaking Legs''. Co-starring Philip Bosco and Vincent Gardenia, the show extended several times before going on the road. Storch appeared in the Broadway productions of ''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' ( ) is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play ''Porgy (play), ...

'' (which Storch considered his favorite), '' Arsenic and Old Lace'' with

Jean Stapleton Jean Stapleton (born Jeanne Murray; January 19, 1923 – May 31, 2013) was an American character actress of stage, television and film. Stapleton is best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker, the perpetually optimistic and devoted wif ...

, Marion Ross, and Jonathan Frid, and '' Annie Get Your Gun'' with

Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire ( ; born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music, country singer and actress. Dubbed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Sin ...

. He toured the United States and Europe with ''Porgy and Bess''. In 2004, he was in ''Sly Fox'' with

Richard Dreyfuss Richard Stephen Dreyfuss ( ; Dreyfus; born October 29, 1947) is an American actor. He emerged from the New Hollywood wave of American cinema, finding fame with a succession of leading man parts in the 1970s. He has received an Academy Award, a ...

and his old friend Irwin Corey. Larry, then 81 and "Professor" Corey, 90, did eight shows a week. In March 2008, Storch celebrated his 50th anniversary performing on Broadway. His first Broadway appearance had been ''Who Was That Lady I Saw You With'', later made into a 1960

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

starring

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Cool", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of ...

and Tony Curtis, with Storch appearing. Storch and ''

Dark Shadows ''Dark Shadows'' is an American Gothic fiction, Gothic soap opera that aired weekdays on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show depicted the lives, loves, trials, and tribulatio ...

'' star Marie Wallace appeared in '' Love Letters'' by A. R. Gurney on June 24, 2012, a benefit performance for the Actor's Temple in New York City. In the summer of 2012, Storch appeared in a benefit performance of '' Love Letters'' with actress Diana Sowle (best known for her role as Mrs. Bucket in the original Willy Wonka film) in

Farmville, Virginia Farmville is a town in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Prince Edward and Cumberland County, Virginia, Cumberland counties in the U.S. state, Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County, Virginia, Prince Edward County. ...

to benefit The Tom Mix Rangers.

Comedy LPs

Storch recorded a comedy LP, ''Larry Storch at The Bon Soir'', released by Jubilee Records in the 1960s. His other records include ''Larry Storch Reads Philip Roth's Epstein'' and singles such as "Pooped" b/w "The Eighth Wonder Of The World" and "I'm Walkin'". A month before he died, Storch recorded the blues song '' Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee'' with Mike Clark and his trio. The song was posthumously released soon after Storch’s passing.

Personal life

Storch married actress Norma Catherine Greve on July 10, 1961. They remained married until her death at age 81 on August 28, 2003. Both briefly appeared in the made-for-television movie '' The Woman Hunter'' (1972). He had three children: a stepson, Lary May; a daughter, Candace Herman, the result of a brief encounter with his future wife, born in 1947 and placed for adoption (and later reunited); and a stepdaughter, June Cross, born in 1954 to Norma and Jimmy Cross ("Stump" of the song-and-dance team Stump and Stumpy). Storch's younger brother, Jay (1924–1987), was an actor/voiceover performer under the name Jay Lawrence.

Death

Larry Storch died at his home on the

of Manhattan on July 8, 2022, at age 99. The

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

reported that he died from natural causes. ''

'' reported that he died from complications of Alzheimer's disease.

Honors and tributes

Storch was nominated for a Primetime

in 1967 for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series for ''F Troop''. Storch lost to childhood friend Don Adams that year. Storch said he later remarked to Adams, “You kept it on the block.” An episode of ''

Animaniacs ''Animaniacs'' is an American Animated series, animated Comedy television, comedy Musical film, musical television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Television Animation. It originally aired on Fox Broadcasting Company ...

'' titled "The Sound of Warners" features a banner that says "Larry Storch Days / Nov 13 & 14". In

Fort Lee, New Jersey Fort Lee is a Borough (New Jersey), borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop The Palisades (Hudson River), The Palisades. As of the 2020 Uni ...

, Mayor Mark Sokolich named Storch as honorary Mayor for a Day on June 1, 2014. Storch had previously been honored by the local film commission for performing at the Riviera nightclub, which had closed 60 years earlier. He received the 2013 Barrymore Award for Lifetime Achievement in Film and TV from the Fort Lee Film Commission. A Golden Palm Star on the

Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...

, Walk of Stars was dedicated to Storch in 2014. Storch was named an honorary citizen of Passaic, New Jersey, on September 13, 2016. He also received a

Navy Distinguished Service Medal The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919 and is presented to Sailors and Marines to recognize distinguished and exceptionally meritorio ...

to recognise his

service. On January 14, 2019, The Lambs honored Storch with their Shepherd's Award. Wild West City, an amusement park in New Jersey, renamed one of its storefronts “Larry Storch’s Silver Dollar Saloon” in his honor. Storch was named an Honorary Friar in early 2019 at a ceremony with Dick Cavett at the

New York Friars Club The Friars Club was a private club in New York City, founded in 1904 and out of business by 2024. Famous for its risqué roasts, the club's membership was composed mostly of people who work in show business. The club was located at 57 East 5 ...

. On his 97th birthday, Storch was presented with a Proclamation from the

State of New York New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

Filmography

References

External links

* * * * *
Official Larry Storch MySpace page
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Storch, Larry 1923 births 2022 deaths American impressionists (entertainers) American male comedians American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors American stand-up comedians Apex Records artists Comedians from Los Angeles Comedians from Manhattan DeWitt Clinton High School alumni Filmation people Jewish American male actors Jewish American comedians Jewish male comedians Jubilee Records artists Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from Manhattan MGM Records artists Military personnel from New York City People from the Upper West Side United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy sailors 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors

Early life

Career

Performing

Variety show appearances

As an impressionist and voiceover actor

Film appearances

Stage work

Comedy LPs

Personal life

Death

Honors and tributes

Filmography

References

Further reading

Articles

Books

External links