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Many will recognize Frank
Gorshin as The Riddler from the old Batman TV series with Adam West. Some
may remember him as the black-and-white character from the famous episode
about racism in the original Star Trek series, "Let This Be Your
Final Battle," which earned him an Emmy nomination. In fact, Gorshin
is a comedian, singer, television and film actor who's been in dozens
of movies – but perhaps the most important thing to me about Frank
Gorshin is that he is probably the greatest impressionist who's ever lived.
Frank doesn't just imitate voices. He doesn't create simulations. He creates
perfect caricatures of his subjects, complete with voice, facial expressions,
body language – without prosthetics or makeup – and above
all, with truly funny and original material. You can often recognize who
he's doing before he even opens his mouth! In short, Frank Gorshin is
an artist. I saw him many times in my youth on the Carson show and television's
great variety shows, and he made a tremendous impression (!) on me. I
will never forget being awed by his masterpiece, a recreation of the showdown
seen from the movie, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, in which he portrays
both Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas. I must have seen it 30 years ago,
but I'll never forget it.
Penn & Teller are of course huge Frank Gorshin fans too, so with their
encouragement I pressed hard to book him on the show. Eventually we got
him, and I can honestly say that I was never more thrilled to meet any
single guest we had – movie actor, television star, variety artist,
you name it – than to meet Frank Gorshin. I kept hammering the bookers
and handlers to come and get me the instant he arrived in the theater,
and I was so excited I could barely tear myself away from hanging around
him. Unfortunately we couldn't give him enough time to do the O.K. Corral
hunk – it runs about nine minutes – but he did a great set,
and I remain thrilled that I had the chance to meet him, and grateful
that my friend, guitarist Jimmy MacIntosh from the SCS Crimes Against
Nature Band, was nice enough to snap this photo for me. (Do I sound like
an unabashed fan? I am. For more, go to the official site, www.frankgorshin.com.)
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