At age 98, comic Irving Benson stands alone as the oldest living link to a largely forgotten and uniquely American art form - Burlesque.
For more than half a century, Irv was a “first comic” - In show business terms that's the featured comedian. He was the contemporary of all the great funny-men who emerged from the hey-day of Burlesque: Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton, Phil Silvers, Jackie Gleason, and so many more.
And now, Irv’s the last one left.
For more than half a century, Irv was a “first comic” - In show business terms that's the featured comedian. He was the contemporary of all the great funny-men who emerged from the hey-day of Burlesque: Abbott and Costello, Red Skelton, Phil Silvers, Jackie Gleason, and so many more.
And now, Irv’s the last one left.
What was Burlesque? Where did it come from? Where did it go? And what did it mean to a generation of comic performers?
Benson headlines a cast of fellow surviving Burlesque and Vaudeville veterans, many of whom have known and worked with Irv on-stage. Together with a team of theatre historians, they uncover the roots of American comedy and take us inside the colorful world of the Burlesque show.
The Last First Comic also spotlights the final film appearance of legendary straight man Ed McMahon.
Filmed on location in New York's historic Palace Theatre, The Last First Comic explores a dynamic chapter in the history of our country and its popular entertainment. It's a humorous and heartfelt story of a bygone era; a celebration of a life well lived - both onstage and off.
Benson headlines a cast of fellow surviving Burlesque and Vaudeville veterans, many of whom have known and worked with Irv on-stage. Together with a team of theatre historians, they uncover the roots of American comedy and take us inside the colorful world of the Burlesque show.
The Last First Comic also spotlights the final film appearance of legendary straight man Ed McMahon.
Filmed on location in New York's historic Palace Theatre, The Last First Comic explores a dynamic chapter in the history of our country and its popular entertainment. It's a humorous and heartfelt story of a bygone era; a celebration of a life well lived - both onstage and off.
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at the Backlot Film Festival
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The Winner's Corner
