#will jordan

I know where I know you from. Where's that? Bowling alley!

Frank Gorshin's television debut was on The Steve Allen Show, but it almost didn't happen at all.

Comedian Will Jordan: Chuck McCann tells the story of how he got Frank his first break on Steve Allen. McCann says that Gorshin auditioned as a singer.

Comedian Chuck McCann: It's a funny story. I helped him get The Steve Allen Show. And then they booked him - and kicked me off so they could fit him in!

Will Jordan: Frank Gorshin looked like a little skeleton. Very odd looking little creature.

Chuck McCann: Anyway, the Gorshin thing happened at a rehearsal. Tom Poston and I were doing Laurel and Hardy. We were asked to stay after the rehearsal because they were auditioning people and they felt it would help if there was a bit of an audience. Bill Harbach, the producer of the show, asked us all to stick around.

Will Jordan: The entire cast would really help you on that show, laugh it up and applaud.

Chuck McCann: I was in the hall and there was this guy standing there. I saw the piano had a bunch of hats on it. I said, "What do you do?" He said, "I do impressions." I asked him to do a couple and he did. I said, "Jesus! That's wonderful!" They were really remarkable. He did Richard Widmark and Kirk Douglas.

Will Jordan: The best physical resemblances were done by Frank Gorshin when he did Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.

Chuck McCann: I said, "Oh, they're going to love this." So I sit down with our little audience. Steve was sitting next to me. Steve is the nicest guy in the world, but if someone is embarrassing themselves it is hard for him to take. It's hard for anyone to take. Gorshin comes out and sits down at the piano and starts singing rock and roll. He sings this awful song.

Will Jordan: Gorshin's singing voice wasn't good.

Chuck McCann: He's half way through and everyone is cringing. Steve looked at Bill and Bill got the message. He gets up, "Well, thank you very much. That's terrific. Uh, we'll give you a call and let you know." So Frank stands up and… it was embarrassing.

Will Jordan: Chuck said that as Frank was leaving…

Chuck McCann: I yelled out, "Wait! What's the porkpie hat for?"

Will Jordan: Chuck said, "What's the hat on the piano for?" Frank said, "Oh, I do some impressions."

Chuck McCann: I said, "You do impressions? Can we see some of the impressions, Steve?" Steve glared at me. Everyone glared at me. But I knew I was safe because he was marvelous.

Will Jordan: Of course this is Chuck's version, so Chuck McCann is the hero.

Chuck McCann: In his mind he thought he had done well, but I saved his ass. He didn't realize it. To him it was a natural segue when I said, "What's the pork pie hat for?" He didn't know he was going to be asked to leave.

Will Jordan: It's probably not true…

Chuck McCann: He turned around, put on the porkpie hat and became Richard Widmark. It was perfect. He assumed the spirit and being of Richard Widmark. He did the voice spot on and everybody's mouth dropped. Then he did Kirk Douglas and so forth and so on.

Will Jordan: That scored heavy and he got the show.

Chuck McCann: Three weeks later he was on the show and I was off. No good turn ever goes unpunished. I was never on that show again.

BROADWAY DANNY ROSE (1984) Grade: B-

Hartwell (HRT) now operates the sinuous 48-mile former Norfolk Southern line between Toccoa and Elberton. Roster includes ex-C&NW nee-RI GP9 #4556

Will Jordan literally created the first Ed Sullivan impression in the 1950s that became the template everyone else based theirs upon.  

Here he performs on Ed's first variety show, "Toast of the Town," that later became "The Ed Sullivan Show."

Will Jordan  (July 27, 1927 – September 6, 2018) was an American character actor and stand-up comedian best known for his resemblance—and ability to do uncanny impressions of—television host and newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan. Jordan was a friend of and early influence on comedian Lenny Bruce.

Enjoy: 

‣   Kliph Nesteroff’s 13-part interview with Will Jordan