RIP Orson Bean

[JSngry]

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-02-08/actor-comedian-orson-bean-91-hit-and-killed-by-car-in-la

Too bad. I tended to quite enjoy his wit, if not always his acting.

 

 

[dicky]

A nice tribute via Mark Steyn...

https://www.steynonline.com/10039/bean-there-done-that

"As it is, in seven decades as magician, comedian, actor, author and more, Orson Bean had done pretty much everything he ever wanted to. He had been on television more or less since there was a television to be on, and was sufficiently in demand two-thirds of a century later to be guesting on "Modern Family", "Desperate Housewives" and "How I Met Your Mother". In between he starred on Broadway with Jayne Mansfield and Walter Matthau in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, on the big screen in Being John Malkovich, in "The Twilight Zone" as a memorable Mr Bevis, and minded the store in "Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman". He was a memorable witness for Jimmy Stewart in Anatomy of a Murder, a hippie in Australia, the head of a school modeled on England's Summerhill (which gave us Rebecca De Mornay and Elton John's record producer), and the father-in-law of Andrew Breitbart. Orson was a master raconteur beloved by Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, which is why he made over two hundred appearances on "The Tonight Show" - until the new guys took over and witty anecdotalists were replaced by grunting pluggers. As he bemoaned to me, these days the bookers mainly want old people who can talk dirty - the potty-mouthed grampa shtick - but, on the other hand, he could more than hold his own at that: a couple of years back in Hollywood, I saw him deliver an almost spectacularly bad-taste stand-up routine. "

[JSngry]

11 hours ago, dicky said:

A nice tribute via Mark Steyn...

https://www.steynonline.com/10039/bean-there-done-that

...As he bemoaned to me, these days the bookers mainly want old people who can talk dirty - the potty-mouthed grampa shtick - but, on the other hand, he could more than hold his own at that: a couple of years back in Hollywood, I saw him deliver an almost spectacularly bad-taste stand-up routine. "

To that end (and SERIOUSLY NSFW):

 

[catesta]

Getting hit by a car is a fucked up way to go out, especially at 91.

RIP

[JSngry]

Dave Lambert concurs, no doubt.

[Chuck Nessa]

4 hours ago, catesta said:

Getting hit by a car is a fucked up way to go out, especially at 91.

RIP

Twice! One car knocked him down and a second finished him off.

[JSngry]

I wish he was alive to tell the story...

At least it wasn't The Dreaded Giboon Viper.

[Dave James]

I remember Bean mostly as a panelist on shows like "What's My Line".  He always came across as the clever, sophisticated, likable man-about-town.  Sort of a latter day Oscar Levant.  

[JSngry]

Watching Orson on Super Password this week. Virtuoso player, just a true joy.

The week before, the celebs were a rare all-male set of Bill Cullen and Tom Poston, which was like Classic Game Show Wet Dream, and sure enough, those guys could PLAY. But Orson Bean, my god...never mind To Tell The Truth and all that banter, this guy was a true Password Whisperer. Stunning.

As was his celebrity opponent for this week, Joanne Worley. 

Burt Convy, though, what a tool. Nice guy, but...