The music for this sketch was developed and performed by the great virtuoso concert pianist Earl Wild. Mr. Wild worked for Sid from 1954 to 1958 and performed all the silent sketches and opera take-offs during that time.
Truly epic. I hope people can appreciate what a nearly 20 minute live sketch requires in terms of organization, technical proficiency and just sheer energy. Wow.
I agree, this level of comedy is a lost art.True feeling, true heartfelt emotions.Makes us laugh because we are them,also they are us, in situations that are very familiar. Because many of of have been through this in real life, or in our dreams.
This is funny in 2019. It's well done and the writing I know Mel Brooks was one of his writers and I bet he wrote on this one. My favorite silent film is "The General" with Buster Keaton. This is skit is hilarious well written, timing, and of course the piano make it even better.
This is the great Sid Caesar in a sketch with my father-in-law Phil Svigals providing great piano playing for this and all the silent movies shown from Your Show of Shows. Watch them all!
+Mildred Farrier Would really like to talk to you about this, if you're willing (I'm writing something on Sid and YSOS). I sent a FB message, but don't know if it got through. Thanks!
Mildred Farrier It really is superb film accompanying. I also particularly like Little Sewing Machine Girl with the piano in mind. Glad to know about Phil.
Sorry Mildred Farrier but the music for this sketch was developed and performed by the great virtuoso concert pianist Earl Wild. Mr. Wild worked for Sid from 1954 to 1958 and performed all the silent sketches and opera take-offs. I don't remember Earl ever mentioning someone by the name of Phil Svigals and I live with Earl Wild for 38 years.
@@Earl_Wild I had the extreme privilege of hearing Mr. Wild in a recital in NY, back in the late '70's or perhaps early '80's. It was an all Liszt recital. Truly unforgettable! Titanic piano playing!
I agree, when comedians added curse words to their act, it took away they heartfelt innocence of laughter. Now we are supposed to laugh at ones expertise in the use of curse words? No way!
Sid Caesar one of the best comedians of these early days of comedy. A rare talent, and strong guy.... who wanted people to have fun and laugh. To escape their worries of the day and smile.A long with other greats.... I wish they would show this on cable... but cable is biased today and you pay $300 a month to watch garbage! Wake up!
The phenomenal Earl Wild at the piano!! I wonder if he put the music together or if there were others involved in this marvelous pastiche. In fact, I wish there would be a compilation of all the piano music that Earl did for Sid Caesar!!
As well done as this is, I find it more poignant after reading his books and discovering just how much he was struggling with alcohol and pills at the time. I hope I get this right, but I believe he wrote that this particular sketch made him cry.
Yes, I remember reading in Sid's autobiography that he *truly* was sobbing at the end of this sketch, which makes it all the more poignant. This whole sketch is basically a beautiful confession of an alcoholic. Yes, it's exaggerated & played for laughs -- but it gets at all the truths of the disease. God bless Sid for delivering such an authentic & brave performance -- he truly was ahead of his time . . .. .
Awfully hard to watch, given what's since come out re: the late great Sid Caesar's alcoholism. That said, I almost appreciate that he was hiding his addiction "in plain sight" -- he knew he had a problem, but he didn't know quite what to do @ it. So, of course, he would've milked it for comedy -- I honestly think that was noble of him -- especially since no one back then really would've done anything to help him recover . . .. they just would've fired him (which is what eventually happened).
![SID CAESAR: The Boarder [THE HICKENLOOPERS] (YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS - VERY rare sketch)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/p-FK7IX9euk/mqdefault.jpg)
![SID CAESAR: The Boarder [THE HICKENLOOPERS] (YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS - VERY rare sketch)](/img/tr.png)
The music for this sketch was developed and performed by the great virtuoso concert pianist Earl Wild. Mr. Wild worked for Sid from 1954 to 1958 and performed all the silent sketches and opera take-offs during that time.
Truly epic. I hope people can appreciate what a nearly 20 minute live sketch requires in terms of organization, technical proficiency and just sheer energy. Wow.
I agree, this level of comedy is a lost art.True feeling, true heartfelt emotions.Makes us laugh because we are them,also they are us, in situations that are very familiar. Because many of of have been through this in real life, or in our dreams.
This is funny in 2019. It's well done and the writing I know Mel Brooks was one of his writers and I bet he wrote on this one. My favorite silent film is "The General" with Buster Keaton. This is skit is hilarious well written, timing, and of course the piano make it even better.
Lucille Kallen wrote the first movie satire.
Extraordinary. And done live in front of millions!
This is the great Sid Caesar in a sketch with my father-in-law Phil Svigals providing great piano playing for this and all the silent movies shown from Your Show of Shows. Watch them all!
+Mildred Farrier Would really like to talk to you about this, if you're willing (I'm writing something on Sid and YSOS). I sent a FB message, but don't know if it got through. Thanks!
Mildred Farrier It really is superb film accompanying. I also particularly like Little Sewing Machine Girl with the piano in mind. Glad to know about Phil.
Sorry Mildred Farrier but the music for this sketch was developed and performed by the great virtuoso concert pianist Earl Wild. Mr. Wild worked for Sid from 1954 to 1958 and performed all the silent sketches and opera take-offs. I don't remember Earl ever mentioning someone by the name of Phil Svigals and I live with Earl Wild for 38 years.
@@Earl_Wild
I had the extreme privilege of hearing Mr. Wild in a recital in NY, back in the late '70's or perhaps early '80's. It was an all Liszt recital. Truly unforgettable! Titanic piano playing!
Just as good as many a silent movie.
All done live with none of the constant curse words that today's comedy shows.
I agree, when comedians added curse words to their act, it took away they heartfelt innocence of laughter. Now we are supposed to laugh at ones expertise in the use of curse words? No way!
Sid Caesar one of the best comedians of these early days of comedy. A rare talent, and strong guy.... who wanted people to have fun and laugh. To escape their worries of the day and smile.A long with other greats.... I wish they would show this on cable... but cable is biased today and you pay $300 a month to watch garbage! Wake up!
It's only early in terms of television. Comedy was developed by decades of vaudeville.
could have been lengthened into a movie and been just as good as any silent film. extraordinary pathos.
The focus on "high school graduate" is only funnier nowadays.
The phenomenal Earl Wild at the piano!! I wonder if he put the music together or if there were others involved in this marvelous pastiche.
In fact, I wish there would be a compilation of all the piano music that Earl did for Sid Caesar!!
Genius !
As well done as this is, I find it more poignant after reading his books and discovering just how much he was struggling with alcohol and pills at the time. I hope I get this right, but I believe he wrote that this particular sketch made him cry.
Yes, I remember reading in Sid's autobiography that he *truly* was sobbing at the end of this sketch, which makes it all the more poignant. This whole sketch is basically a beautiful confession of an alcoholic. Yes, it's exaggerated & played for laughs -- but it gets at all the truths of the disease. God bless Sid for delivering such an authentic & brave performance -- he truly was ahead of his time . . .. .
And a "Stella Dallas" parody as well
The ending is a take off on the original silent Stella Dallas wedding scene.
That's such a pretty girl with such comic skill.
Awfully hard to watch, given what's since come out re: the late great Sid Caesar's alcoholism. That said, I almost appreciate that he was hiding his addiction "in plain sight" -- he knew he had a problem, but he didn't know quite what to do @ it. So, of course, he would've milked it for comedy -- I honestly think that was noble of him -- especially since no one back then really would've done anything to help him recover . . .. they just would've fired him (which is what eventually happened).
😅