Sammy Labella (June 6, 1929 – September 22, 2014), better known by his stage name Skip E. Lowe, was an American
stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehear ...
,
talk show host
Below is a list of talk show
A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk ...
and actor.
Career
Before adopting his now familiar stage name, LaBella worked as a stand-up comic, impressionist and master of ceremonies. In 1958, he performed in a number of Pittsburgh venues, most notably Lenny Litman's Copa, where he opened for
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross were an American vocalese trio formed by jazz vocalists Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. From 1962 to 1964, Ross was replaced by vocalist Yolande Bavan.
History
The group formed in 1957 and recorded their ...
and
Dakota Staton
Dakota Staton (June 3, 1930 – April 10, 2007) was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No. 4 hit "The Late, Late Show". She was also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period due to her conversion to ...
. The following summer saw a number of engagements in New York State, and it was in July 1959 that LaBella made his first appearance as Skip E. Lowe at
Glen Casino
Glen Park is a walking park in Williamsville, New York. It is bordered by the Glen Falls waterfall on Ellicott Creek, and the inactive Williamsville Water Mill.
History
The location originally housed an amusement park, Harry Altman's Glen Par ...
in Williamsville, New York.
Beginning in 1978, he hosted ''Skip E. Lowe Looks at Hollywood'', a weekly talk show for
public-access cable television that aired in Los Angeles and New York City.
He appeared in the films ''
Black Shampoo
''Black Shampoo'' is an American exploitation film directed by Greydon Clark. Released in 1976, the comedy film is considered an example of the blaxploitation and sexploitation subgenres of exploitation film. Produced on a budget of $50,000, th ...
'' (1976), ''
The World's Greatest Lover'' (1977), ''
Cameron's Closet'' (1988), and ''A-List'' (2006). In 2001, Lowe wrote ''The Boy with the
Betty Grable
Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer.
Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million, and for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she p ...
Legs: A Showbiz Memoir''.
Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian and American comedian, actor, and writer. Short is known as an energetic comedian who gained prominence for his roles in sketch comedy. He has also acted in numerous films and television ...
cited him as the inspiration for his character
Jiminy Glick
Jiminy Glick is a fictional character created and portrayed by Martin Short in the TV series '' Primetime Glick'' (2001–2003), the subsequent 2004 film '' Jiminy Glick in Lalawood,'' and Short's Broadway show '' Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me''. ...
.
It is estimated that Lowe conducted some 6,000 cable-television interviews from 1978 to 2014.
He was openly gay.
Death
Lowe died in Los Angeles, at age 85, on September 22, 2014, from emphysema.
According to his former website, Lowe was cremated and had his ashes scattered at
Ventura Pier on November 23, 2014.
Filmography
See also
*
List of people from Los Angeles
The following is a list of notable people who were either born in, lived in, are current residents of, or are otherwise closely associated with the city or county of Los Angeles, California. Those not born in Los Angeles have their places of bir ...
*
List of people from Mississippi
*
List of talk show hosts
Below is a list of talk show hosts, sorted alphabetically by their surnames.
__NOTOC__
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
See also
* List of game show hosts
References
{ ...
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowe, Skip E.
1929 births
2014 deaths
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male film actors
American public access television personalities
American stand-up comedians
American television talk show hosts
Comedians from Mississippi
Deaths from emphysema
People from Greenville, Mississippi
Male actors from Los Angeles
Male actors from Mississippi
Television personalities from California
LGBTQ people from Mississippi
LGBTQ people from California
American gay actors