Jonathan Winters R.I.P.

[redsfandan]

Jonathan Winters, Funny Man and Comedic Inspiration, Dies at 87
By WILLIAM GRIMES
Published: April 12, 2013

Jonathan Winters, the rubber-faced comedian whose unscripted flights of fancy inspired a generation of improvisational comics, and who kept television audiences in stitches with Main Street characters like Maude Frickert, a sweet-seeming grandmother with a barbed tongue and a roving eye, died on Thursday at his home in Montecito, Calif. He was 87.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/ar...s&emc=rss&_r=0

The world has lost a comedy legend. The funnyman from Dayton will be missed.

[cumberlandreds]

A naturally funny man. He could do about anything and make you laugh. I remember seeing him many times on Johnny Carson and the Dean Martin roasts. I think I had quit watching Mork and Mindy by the time he came to that show.

[RBA]

He was the king of improv in his day. RIP

[RichRed]

Winters was apparently a Reds fan, proving he was a standup guy. Jamie Ramsey has a couple of good photos up on his blog.

http://ramsey.mlblogs.com/

[RedFanAlways1966]

Man, a true legend. I always think of his part in "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" as the tow truck driver. RIP, Jonathan Winters.

[jimbo]

Man, a true legend. I always think of his part in "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" as the tow truck driver. RIP, Jonathan Winters.

One of the funniest movies of all-time. It's incredible to think of how many big names who had roles in that film.

RIP, Jonathan Winters. One of the funniest people of my lifetime.

[757690]

Nice article by Robin Williams about Winters:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/ar...ers.html?_r=1&

Mort Sahl said Jonathan was seen as a great improviser, but to him he was just being himself. He was a rebel without a pause, whether he was portraying the WASP who couldn’t get a decent martini in Mombasa or the cowboy who couldn’t ride a horse and backed out of frame. Jonathan’s wife, Eileen, maybe had the best quote. She said that Jonathan went through his terrible 2’s but that they lasted 20 years.

[RichRed]

[RedFanAlways1966]

I know this is a family site and I will leave it to your imagination. With the positioning of the bat and Bench's left arm (and Winter's humor)... makes me wonder if the conversation went something like this:

Winters: "Johnny, how ya like my 34-inch bat?"
Bench: "Be hard to find a protective cup like this to protect that, Jonathan."