Sid Caesar checks out.
Sid Caesar–who was NOT in our dead pool–left us today for that Borscht Belt in the sky. Sid’s “Your Show of Shows” on NBC in the early 1950’s was fairly edgy for its time, and the writers for that show–Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, Mel Brooks and others—are all icons. Sid, in addition to using his comedic skills, started out in show business as a saxophone player in big bands. After becoming famous, he had the luxury of sitting in with the guests on his show, as he does here with Benny Goodman’s band, circa 1955. Sid didn’t really have much in the way of jazz chops, but he knew how to show off for an audience, and he was a competent noodler on tenor. Yes, that’s Gene Krupa on drums in the video.