Dick Martin passed away. How sad for us oldsters.

[Dream Street Rose]

TVs Laugh-in comic Dick Martin dies in Calif

This 1966 file photo shows comedians Dan Rowan, left, and Dick Martin, hosts of "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In". Dick Martin, the zany half of the comedy team whose "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" took television by storm in the 1960s died Saturday night May 24, 2008. He was 86.

By (AP)
Published: 2008-05-25 00:15:01
Location: LOS ANGELES

Dick Martin, the zany half of the comedy team whose "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" took television by storm in the 1960s, making stars of Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin and creating such national catch-phrases as "Sock it to me!" has died. He was 86.

Martin, who went on to become one of television's busiest directors after splitting with Rowan in the late 1970s, died Saturday night of respiratory complications at a hospital in Santa Monica, family spokesman Barry Greenberg said.

"He had had some pretty severe respiratory problems for many years, and he had pretty much stopped breathing a week ago," Greenberg said.

Martin was surrounded by family and friends when he died just after 6 p.m., Greenberg said.

"Laugh-in," which debuted in January 1968, was unlike any comedy-variety show before it. Rather than relying on a series of tightly scripted song-and-dance segments, it offered up a steady, almost stream-of-consciousness run of non-sequitur jokes, political satire and madhouse antics from a cast of talented young actors and comedians that also included Ruth Buzzi, Arte Johnson, Henry Gibson, Jo Anne Worley and announcer Gary Owens.

Presiding over it all were Rowan and Martin, the veteran nightclub comics whose standup banter put their own distinct spin on the show.

Like all straight men, Rowan provided the voice of reason, striving to correct his partner's absurdities. Martin, meanwhile, was full of bogus, often risque theories about life, which he appeared to hold with unwavering certainty.

DSR

[charlene]

Laugh-In was a great show. I have so many memories of all the talented and funny people in all of those hilarious sketches...They were often on the cutting edge of political satire and humour and for the times it was quite a daring thing to do..The Smothers Brothers went too far and were unfortunately cancelled. Ruth Buzzi and Arte Johnson on that park bench makes me laff just thinking about it..It was a brilliant show and Rowan and Martin were hilarious. Makes me wish that they showed the re-runs nowadays instead of the crap that passes for comedy on Tv these days..
Even tho the subject matter may be dated the essence of it still holds true in many cases.

He was 86 tho so that's a pretty good kick at the can..

[Jesse Joe]

This is too bad but like Char said he had a pretty good kick at the can. I remember that show, sad indeed.

[Borderstone]

In 1971-1972 I was all of three to 4 years old,but I remember seeing "Laugh-In" on the TV. All the cast members popping in & out of the little doors on the wall.

What I recalled of Mr. martin then was he & Dan were two silly grown-ups. Later,when i saw old repeats & clips,I understood more about how important they had been at the time.

Just weeks ago,PBS re-ran the Lucille Ball documentary that featured Dan,where he talked about his important but brief stint on "The Lucy Show". I'm sure that was a small part of his road to hosting "Laugh-In".

I know he'll Rest In Peace for making us fal to pieces laughing.