Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

By: Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan
  • Summary

  • Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan’s lifelong love of comedy was kindled when they met more than 40 years ago in graduate school in Seattle. While managing family and professional work responsibilities, they hosted a one hour comedy radio program on Saturday mornings for 10 years on a small radio station in Olympia, WA and also co-authored two books on northwest popular culture – Seattle on Film (1995) and Wet and Wired (2000). Stuck at home during the early days of the pandemic with hundreds of comedy albums, cassettes and CD’s gathering dust on their shelves, they launched Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy in May 2020, a weekly mini-program featuring a different comedy icon, with biographical bits and a nice slice of the comedy that made them famous. From standup stars, to stellar sketch teams, to novelty music maestros -- they are all part of our Legends.
    Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis
    Dec 24 2024

    In the 1940s and 50s Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were on top of the comedy world with a smash act that dominated nightclubs, the silver screen, and that new-fangled television thing. The premise was simple -- Dean was a crooner and straight man who tried to keep the show going according to plan, while Jerry was an overactive man-child who would mug shamelessly, croon off key, walk around in the crowd, and generally cause chaos. The crowds loved it, but as you can imagine those were two large talents (and in Jerry's case ego) to contain in one act. They split after a decade with both going on to solo success but never quite recapturing the magic they had as a duo. Thanks to Frank Sinatra they reconciled though they never re-teamed -- but there is a lot of video that captures Dean and Jerry in action during their heyday. As always, find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows.

    Want more Dean and Jerry?

    Dean and Jerry got their big nightclub break at Atlantic City's famed 500 Club. The picture quality on this one is poor, but it's fascinating -- an episode of the Today Show from 1956 featuring a number of stars from the club including Martin & Lewis who appear about 40 minutes in. https://youtu.be/x-2BHMfa5do?si=flVl7TyFSC4EPkUU

    Martin & Lewis were mainstays of early television with numerous guest shot on the top shows of the day along with their own series. This bit from Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theater is from 1949. https://youtu.be/u7O3I0uww3U?si=PiWtq_-Qhfixq-Ap

    Jerry and Dean were big screen sensations, eventually making 16 features. 1953's The Caddy is one of their best -- dip in anywhere to get a taste of the boys in action. https://youtu.be/qrlbr4ziDL0?si=iwQBxX8lc2z_w5sp

    After splitting up Martin and Lewis famously didn't speak for 20 years, but that changed at the 1976 Jerry Lewis MDA telethon, courtesy of the Chairman of the Board. https://youtu.be/RRq2ed1fK2k?si=hj1l5xCFC_JCHoT0

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    4 mins
  • Neil Innes
    Dec 17 2024

    This time out we have a real treat from across the pond. Neil Innes may not be the most recognizable name in comedy, but without him the Monty Python movies would be much the poorer (and we wouldn't have a Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band at all). Coming up as part of the British satire boom of the early 1960s, Neil was an artist and musician with a flair for the absurd. That certainly came to the fore in the Bonzos, where Neil often sang lead and wrote their biggest hit. He soon crossed paths with the Pythons who used his music in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (among others), and he later collaborated with Eric Idle on the faux-Beatles parody, The Rutles. An all-around good bloke, Neil remained a well-loved fixture in British comedy, including Bonzos and Rutles reunions, for the rest of his life. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

    Want more Neil?

    Neil was a key member of the dada-influenced rockers The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. He wrote and sang lead on their biggest hit -- I'm The Urban Spaceman. https://youtu.be/olGXtohOs7c?si=C-yLWjWHi27hxE_u

    Monty Python and the Holy Grail is beloved by fans and the clever tunes by Neil are part of the reason why. Here Neil foretells the fate of his boss, the very very brave Sir Robin. https://youtu.be/ACajzIlzvH0?si=ZdJZ8X2TpQzpP1M

    George Harrison was a great patron of the Pythons and was always ready to take a piss out of his old band. This clip from Eric Idle's Rutland Weekend Television finds George in fine voice singing . . .what?https://youtu.be/zJFLiW10ZrE?si=MOI5msq9MPQUaHHp

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    4 mins
  • Amy Schumer
    Dec 10 2024

    One of the most popular comics of the 2000s, Amy Schumer is gifted with a tart tongue, superb timing, and a willingness to put TMI out there in search of a laugh. Amy also has turned her comedy into television and movie gold with an Emmy winning tv show ("Inside Amy Schumer"), cable specials, and juicy roles in films such as "Trainwreck." Her memoir -- "The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo" was a New York Times bestseller and more recently she made her Broadway debut in "Meteor Shower", (written by Steve Martin) and nabbing a Tony nomination in the process. How do you follow that up? By having a kid of course -- and performing a Netflix standup special in a very pregnant condition! As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

    Want more Amy?

    Here's a big slice of early Amy from a Comedy Central special. It's always fun to see a comic on the cusp of becoming a huge star. https://youtu.be/HlJbSzNwR9I?si=rscd_S9PFJlHcBZL

    Amy's sketch show "Inside Amy Schumer" won two Emmy's and a Peabody award over it's five year run and a lot of the comedy still bites hard!https://youtu.be/m7NKKh8ocVA?si=s4TzVxFYwfGBjO5T

    Amy had a starring role in the Judd Apatow film "Trainwreck" and her chemistry with Bill Hader was perfect. https://fb.watch/wocx6k-zvo/

    Amy uses every bit of her life for material and when she became pregnant -- check out this Netflix special to see how she deals with it. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1257604364890190

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    4 mins

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