Annals Of Funny

Mark Evanier, an invaluable ('Cause it's free!!) source for lazy us, has linked (& now we have) to a piece he did on one of our & his comedic heroes, Frank Nelson.

I will never, as long as I live, forget summoning Frank Nelson. He was sitting in the recording studio's lobby, absently paging through a magazine older than he was, surrounded by young actors who didn't know who he was. I stepped into the lobby and said, "Mr. Nelson?"

And he turned towards me — so help me — and went, "Yessssss?" Just like on the Benny show.

I broke into laughter and the other auditioners — the younger actors sitting in chairs around him — suddenly recognized him and they all broke into applause. I have never seen another actor get applause from his peers in the waiting room.

Context.