Comic impressionist discusses his life and career, including his famous role as the Riddler on "Batman," in this half-hour TV interview with cable TV host Skip E Lowe.
I worked on a film with Frank Gorshin and we became smoking buddies for the duration of the shoot. Every morning before makeup we would walk outside and smoke a cigarette. He was such a nice guy and of course I told him how great the Riddler character was. It wasn't until years later than I discovered that he was a master of impressions and that was really what he was known for . I wish that I would have known at the time.
@@tbec3011 That's why he died of lung cancer/COPD/respiratory failure. He smoked up to 5 packs a day. Adam West said that on the set of Batman Gorshin could reduce a cigarette to an "ash" in one inhalation
Loved Franks portrayal of the Riddler sooo much as a young kid, that i was hooked on that character for the rest of my life. Have a vanity plate RIDDLER also.
@Joe Battiloro Hey Joe! Batman was my introduction to Frank, but after that i mad it a point to look out for him! he did allot of variety TV & Drama back then! I remember as a kid his impersonations! His Kurt Douglas killed me! but like you say! everything he did impress me! Be Cool!!
@@pandarush. I loved his Kurt! he kinda looked like him anyway! sometime he would stick his finger in his chin, leaving an impression! then take off on kurt so funny! Thanks for reminding me!!
Two great impressionist. Frank doing his stuff and Skip E Lowe doing Martin Short. But seriously, loved, loved Frank. Saw his three times on Broadway in his one man show about the life of Gerorge Burns, Say Goodnight Gracie. Frank deserved an emmy for it. He was the greatest. This is a great, great find. Thanks for posting it.
that talent killed him ! ....reminds me of Nick Sr. here as he speaks and clears his voice, blue eyes too ! both passed early 70's ( Sr. was 73, smoked 2 packs a day for 40+ years )..Gorshin they say was like Jackie Gleason at 5 packs a day !!...~RIP all..*
" Jimeny Glick " ( Skip E. Lowe)..*..Frank was awesome ! I am now 55 and was just 3 in 66' when " Batman " came on and remember loving The Riddler " as well as Burgess Merideth .." wha'wha;wha....I am from Pittsburg Ca. easy bay baby ! also @15:23 love his face and laugh ! ~* RIP " The Rittler " lol....." The Riddler ! "
I used to like Jim Carrey when he first became popular, but his hyper performances became tiresome for me. However, I think he was good at portraying Andy Kaufman. Frank Gorshin will always be the best Riddler.
Here's how popular the Batman TV show . A radio host in my City had known Frank from the annual Comedy Fest he work at and had over 2000 comedy albums where he and Frank spent many hours talking about the 50's-60's . This was in the late 1980's , but in the mid 1990's Frank would appear at a local Hotel that was high class and expensive where the radio host was now in my City and where the hotel was. After the show it was normal for Frank to meet the radio host and stay at his house after talks about the past greats in comedy and listen to rare albums for comic frank never had seen perform. One time after a show they heading to his home but his car was low on gas for the next day and had stopped at a self-serve , the Host left his wallet in the truck behind hockey equipment and asked Frank if he had $20.00 to pay back later. Frank gave him a $20.00 and said he'd put the gas in while he paid at the Booth . The attendant was from India and new in the Country , but when he was given the $20.00 he said to the radio Host ...... " You have the Riddler pumping your gas? " Frank Gorshin was in casual dress and was about 20 feet away pumping gas ....yet this man from India spotted him even at his older age about 25 years after the Movie and 1966 TV show on top of how some dark Indians see most White males as looking alike. You would think that the Attendant would mention Batman and say that the person looks much like one of the villains....but no, he nailed it and knew that the Riddler was that man pumping the gas . Your talking about 7200 miles from New Delhi by a man that was born around 1960 and only saw the TV show or Batman movie wit the young Frank in his 30's .
I worked with the late great Frank Gorshin in Guys & Dolls along with Jack Jones and Maureen McCormick at the old Desert Inn (Las Vegas) became instant friend and stayed friends till his passing.
I'm 65, seen 'em all, great singers, comedians etc. If I could see any performer in history in his prime, in the first few rows it would be Frank Gorshin. I used to sneak out of bed when he would come on TV, the living room couch was on 6" legs. So I would lay on the floor and watch from underneath. His impressions were excellent, the clay face, but his presentation was superb. Great entertainer, my life was better because of him.
It is rare to find comedians today that do impressions. A few have done Johnny Depp and Nicolas Cage. But I think it is so rare because particularly most male actors today are indistinguishable. Their voices and manarisims are without distinction , the audience would just shrug.
Skip E.'s go to question; "Are you Spiritual?" always sucks the oxygen out of the room and makes things uncomfortable lol. I love Frank Gorshin though; what a talent! He not only did spot on impressions of the voices, but his facial contortions and body movements allowed him to become the person! Such a naturally funny guy, too.
I own the dvd of the Beatles four performances on the Ed Sullivan show. Which contains the full shows. Frank Gorshin is in one of them. He performed his Burt Lancaster. He was damn good.
Hate it when these interviews end suddenly in mid-sentence !! GRRR ! Same thing happened when I watched Skip's interview with Vanessa Brown a little while ago.... :-(
What a shame for an actor/impressionist this legendary to have to be interviewed by someone this clueless and talentless. Shut up and let Frank TALK!! Wish they had just posted questions on screen and let him answer them.
The old actors and Movie Stars were the best! Ceasar Romero was supposed to get a huge "push" because of his acting skills & talents. However, the World War prevented him from being more successful. The 1960s Batman series was loaded with stars!
Yes indeed. I've read he was a very heavy smoker & it's certainly no surprise that lung cancer killed him (with emphysema & pneumonia being complicating factors). I saw him live at our local county fair back in the late 70s. GREAT show !
"How do you get from Eartha Kitt to George C. Scott?" - I'm so glad I watched to the last second, because that bemused question, coming from a genuinely puzzled Frank Gorshin, made me laugh out loud! Too bad there isn't just a little bit more of the interview. Thanks for sharing!
Does anyone wanna buy me a vowel and give me the name of the song playing at the beginning of this? :) I remember it from years ago but I can't recall the name. :(
25:05 “has Burt Lancaster ever seen Richard Burton”. This interviewer is dull, as in daft. Gorshin was having fun at his expense. “C’mon” the guy says. Don’t make fun of my idiocy. Very disturbing interviewer. Still, I appreciate that he did it so we could glimpse into Frank’s life.
I know what you mean ! I only watch these interviews to see stars I love. It takes all my strength to put up with Skip. I love Skip's enthusiasm but his interviewing skills were nil. :-(
I just came back here wonderi g why I watched this halfway through and never continued....I think I remember, this interviewer guy makes it suddenly get more and more cringeworthy...
funny that he worked at a theater as an usher, because i almost got in a fist fight with him at a movie theater when i was an usher. this was in 2003 and i was 18. he was in the fire exit smoking, he put napkins in the door so he could get back in. i told him he couldnt smoke and he'd have to go outside. he basically told me to fk-off. i took the napkins out of the door to lock him out. he came back in through the front and started cussing at me and threatening to hit me. i got the manager and they didnt know the whole story, but said that if he didnt calm down he'd have to leave. didnt know it was frank gorshin until one day i looked up the riddler and instantly recognized him (2003 photo) of him with his leather jacket, cigarette and round glasses.
I worked on a film with Frank Gorshin and we became smoking buddies for the duration of the shoot. Every morning before makeup we would walk outside and smoke a cigarette. He was such a nice guy and of course I told him how great the Riddler character was. It wasn't until years later than I discovered that he was a master of impressions and that was really what he was known for . I wish that I would have known at the time.
Wow, cool
Just one cig? Lol By all accounts he was a chain smoker.
@@tbec3011 That's why he died of lung cancer/COPD/respiratory failure. He smoked up to 5 packs a day. Adam West said that on the set of Batman Gorshin could reduce a cigarette to an "ash" in one inhalation
There's only ONE Frank Gorshin and there's only one riddler, Frank Gorshin.
I could not agree more with you. HE was the best
Jim Carey was a close 2nd.
Loved Franks portrayal of the Riddler sooo much as a young kid, that i was hooked on that character for the rest of my life. Have a vanity plate RIDDLER also.
Love john Austin, Riddler too
wouch
I loved Frank Gorshin as the Riddler. His impressions were also great. My favorite is his Kirk Douglas impression.
His riddler was hysterical! enjoyed everything he did, and every time i saw him, Frank could do it all! and do all very well! an amazing talent!
@Joe Battiloro Hey Joe! Batman was my introduction to Frank, but after that i mad it a point to look out for him! he did allot of variety TV & Drama back then! I remember as a kid his impersonations! His Kurt Douglas killed me! but like you say! everything he did impress me! Be Cool!!
@Joe Battiloro Thanks Joe! and you as well!
Not only the voices but he somehow facially and even physically mimicked his subjects. Magic.
I agree 100 per cent !
Always loved him including in where the boys are
One hell of an entertainer and a real pro.. Talent +. Miss you Frank.
THEE best Impressionist that EVER graced the stage! (-"
I loved his Burt Lancaster impression, today’s entertainers don’t cut it.
M18 Tank destroyer it is wonderful isn’t it?
@Frank Gorshin fanatic His Steiger hits it dead-on, his Lee J. Cobb is absolute magic, and man, his Jolson!
One of my many favorites was his impression of Kirk Douglas.
Frank was insanely talented and entertaining.
@@pandarush. I loved his Kurt! he kinda looked like him anyway! sometime he would stick his finger in his chin, leaving an impression! then take off on kurt so funny! Thanks for reminding me!!
@@mikelittleton6026 LOL yesss his finger in his chin!!!!!
Oh thanks for the memory!
Two great impressionist. Frank doing his stuff and Skip E Lowe doing Martin Short. But seriously, loved, loved Frank. Saw his three times on Broadway in his one man show about the life of Gerorge Burns, Say Goodnight Gracie. Frank deserved an emmy for it. He was the greatest.
This is a great, great find. Thanks for posting it.
Skip doing Martin Short~funny!! and doing it bad i might add!
Skip doing Martin Short~funny!! and doing it bad i might add!
Skip doing Martin Short~funny!! and doing it bad i might add!
Skip doing Martin Short~funny!! and doing it bad i might add!
I saw that too. He was really good in it.
He was the best!
Hearing how he appreciated the original comics and acknowledged Batman was originally a dark series is cool. Love Frank
This man will always be a hero of mine.
You got really forgotten New York New York?
Great comedian, funny as hell, especially as the Riddler. He had me on the floor as the Riddler.
The ridler always that laugh gorshin.rules
Frank "could ash a cigarette with one draw." Amazing talent.
that talent killed him ! ....reminds me of Nick Sr. here as he speaks and clears his voice, blue eyes too ! both passed early 70's ( Sr. was 73, smoked 2 packs a day for 40+ years )..Gorshin they say was like Jackie Gleason at 5 packs a day !!...~RIP all..*
What a talented entertainer and he will always be remembered as the Riddler like they say Batman forever
I wish we could Skip the Lowe points....
Ha ! That's rich !! :-)
Jiminy Glick....I've found you
Martin Short has told many interviewers that his "Jimmy Glick" character is mostly based on Skip E Lowe.
Is this guy the real life Jiminy Glick?
Martin Short said that where he got it from..
:) Good catch! "Larry King, Alan King", the high voice, the arm over his head, the interruptions, ...
FACT !
I did not hear Martin say that but after watching skip it’s a no brainer
@@22julip Agreed. I had no idea Short cited this guy but it's blatently obvious that this guy is Jiminy.
Skip E was a true alien.
Gorshin mentions Alan King and five minutes later Skip refers to AK as Larry King.
Funny man. One of a kind.
" Jimeny Glick " ( Skip E. Lowe)..*..Frank was awesome ! I am now 55 and was just 3 in 66' when " Batman " came on and remember loving The Riddler " as well as Burgess Merideth .." wha'wha;wha....I am from Pittsburg Ca. easy bay baby ! also @15:23 love his face and laugh ! ~* RIP " The Rittler " lol....." The Riddler ! "
Liberty Ave was slamming then huh? The Greyhound Station!
I remember him in an episode on Combat. He had to operate a German tank with vice marrow. He will always be the Riddler in my mind.
Interesting how Frank would be subdued, zero energy then suddenly flips the switch.
Dont care what Frank says i would say Burt Lancaster is his Fav
Jim Carrey was painful as the Riddler. Frank Gorshin, who loved to chew scenery, would have said "Whoa, whoa, whoa, dial it down, kid....."
I used to like Jim Carrey when he first became popular, but his hyper performances became tiresome for me. However, I think he was good at portraying Andy Kaufman. Frank Gorshin will always be the best Riddler.
@@GentlemanAmerican AMEN
He did a one man show, George Burns, on Broadway. Good reviews.
This is a great interview. Frank Gorshin seems so relaxed and natural, and a very likeable person. Loved him as the Riddler.
Here's how popular the Batman TV show .
A radio host in my City had known Frank from the annual Comedy Fest he work at and had over 2000 comedy albums where he and Frank spent many hours talking about the 50's-60's . This was in the late 1980's , but in the mid 1990's Frank would appear at a local Hotel that was high class and expensive where the radio host was now in my City and where the hotel was.
After the show it was normal for Frank to meet the radio host and stay at his house after talks about the past greats in comedy and listen to rare albums for comic frank never had seen perform.
One time after a show they heading to his home but his car was low on gas for the next day and had stopped at a self-serve , the Host left his wallet in the truck behind hockey equipment and asked Frank if he had $20.00 to pay back later.
Frank gave him a $20.00 and said he'd put the gas in while he paid at the Booth .
The attendant was from India and new in the Country , but when he was given the $20.00 he said to the radio Host ...... " You have the Riddler pumping your gas? "
Frank Gorshin was in casual dress and was about 20 feet away pumping gas ....yet this man from India spotted him even at his older age about 25 years after the Movie and 1966 TV show on top of how some dark Indians see most White males as looking alike.
You would think that the Attendant would mention Batman and say that the person looks much like one of the villains....but no, he nailed it and knew that the Riddler was that man pumping the gas .
Your talking about 7200 miles from New Delhi by a man that was born around 1960 and only saw the TV show or Batman movie wit the young Frank in his 30's .
The camera loves the interviewer...
I worked with the late great Frank Gorshin in Guys & Dolls along with Jack Jones and Maureen McCormick at the old Desert Inn (Las Vegas) became instant friend and stayed friends till his passing.
I'm 65, seen 'em all, great singers, comedians etc. If I could see any performer in history in his prime, in the first few rows it would be Frank Gorshin. I used to sneak out of bed when he would come on TV, the living room couch was on 6" legs. So I would lay on the floor and watch from underneath. His impressions were excellent, the clay face, but his presentation was superb. Great entertainer, my life was better because of him.
Another gifted entertainer of that post war generation, talented, hard working and a lot of actor's courage and resilience. Exemplary!
Well said & well put !! :-)
The best RIDDLER.. Pointe Finale 😁👍🏻👍🏻
when I wake up I'm also Wather Matthau.....for several hours!
It is rare to find comedians today that do impressions. A few have done Johnny Depp and Nicolas Cage. But I think it is so rare because particularly most male actors today are indistinguishable. Their voices and manarisims are without distinction , the audience would just shrug.
Being a good interviewer is a real skill. Not many people have that skill.
Who the heck is this interviewer? He comes off as a poor man's Patton Oswalt with ADD.
Really nice company to be in. Thanks for posting.
Fantastic interview. Loved Frank Gorshin.
Skip E.'s go to question; "Are you Spiritual?" always sucks the oxygen out of the room and makes things uncomfortable lol. I love Frank Gorshin though; what a talent! He not only did spot on impressions of the voices, but his facial contortions and body movements allowed him to become the person! Such a naturally funny guy, too.
Skip sounded like he doesn't really know how to define spirituality: to him it's a way to access energy to work, as in meditation.
That's an excellent question ! I am very " SPIRITUAL " not " Religion".....spiritual !!
It was an uncomfortable and awkward question, and Gorshin obviously didn't want to answer it. I don't blame him.
Nobody ever asked him where he got the laugh from. I bet it was from Richard Widmark's character Tommy Udo in 'Kiss of Death'.
There's an interview video on here somewhere, and he IS asked about that. Congratulations, it IS Tommy Udo, with a couple minor embelishments.
You are correct, sir! The character or rather the laugh is based on Tommy Udo.
ua-cam.com/video/7onaT3_x-kU/v-deo.html
I always thought that too,, he looks like widmark as well
Skip Lowe is the inspiration for Martin Short's Jiminy Glick
Was Scott E. Lewis the inspiration for Martin Short’s Jiminy Glick? It has to be and they’re both so amusing.
He'd easily be about 93 if not for smoking, nobody lived past 70 that smoked. That last 25 yrs is a very long time.....like 25 years.
Classic Talent! .
I own the dvd of the Beatles four performances on the Ed Sullivan show. Which contains the full shows. Frank Gorshin is in one of them. He performed his Burt Lancaster. He was damn good.
he was the best no doubt.
this interviewer guy is repulsive...unsure..placating...self conscience....interruptive...and those are his good points
i think frank thought the same thing!
Absolutely. Terrible. Incoherent questions. And is it a female masquerading as a dude? Cuz that is a woman’s voice.
Martin Short parodied him as Jiminny Glick
and you forgot creepy...
@@liveclassictunes Very creepy.
Legend!
This interview is so disjointed the way Lowe blurts out questions. Lol! But I enjoy Frank aka the riddler.
Lowe was a terrible interviewer.
Gorshin was under-rated, to use an old phrase.
I am thumbs upping that Lowe is terrible. Just to add emphasis to how terrible.
Nice man. i met him once in Vegas.
boy this is terrific. great interviewer
I have the Beatles/Ed Sullivan shows DVD, and Mr. Gorshin is in one of the shows. His Kirk Douglas/Burt Lancaster were dead on impressions.
wow,lost his brother show still went on,what a genius
Hate it when these interviews end suddenly in mid-sentence !! GRRR ! Same thing happened when I watched Skip's interview with Vanessa Brown a little while ago.... :-(
Y won't they say the name "Rich Little"?
What a shame for an actor/impressionist this legendary to have to be interviewed by someone this clueless and talentless. Shut up and let Frank TALK!! Wish they had just posted questions on screen and let him answer them.
This interviewer dude is making me cringe, no wonder he inspired Jiminy Glick.
High from Eileen here in southern Oregon❤
Frank,Gorshin was,not only great as the Riddler, but quite,funny as Fair Deal Dan on the Munsters
He was great impersonator he had an good show at the twin coaches
Frank and the fruit cake
"You did the Clairol ads...."
He and Adam west were really good friends off stage
That interviewer is so fawning.
The old actors and Movie Stars were the best! Ceasar Romero was supposed to get a huge "push" because of his acting skills & talents. However, the World War prevented him from being more successful. The 1960s Batman series was loaded with stars!
Amazing
❓❓❓Riddler! ❓❓❓
Skip E Lowe is kind of weird. Reminds me of “Between Two Ferns” or something.
The interviewer is weak, but Gorshin was amazing.
A true talent here you sure can tell that the 6 packs a day of smokes were starting to catch up to him....
Yes indeed. I've read he was a very heavy smoker & it's certainly no surprise that lung cancer killed him (with emphysema & pneumonia being complicating factors). I saw him live at our local county fair back in the late 70s. GREAT show !
When was this video shot ?
Carnegie Mellon Grad
he was one of the best impersonators.
I totally agree !!
"How do you get from Eartha Kitt to George C. Scott?" - I'm so glad I watched to the last second, because that bemused question, coming from a genuinely puzzled Frank Gorshin, made me laugh out loud! Too bad there isn't just a little bit more of the interview. Thanks for sharing!
None of us can hear - thanks for that we are all deaf
What year was this interview?
Guessing 1990 since they reference the then new Batman movie.
my absolute favorite batman villain, the riddler was funny as hell hahahahaha
Martin Short must’ve based ‘Jimini Glick ‘ on this man Skip Lowe OMG tell me Frank_“ tell me about Kirk Douglas 😅🤣👏👏👏😂🌹🌀🔥🔥🔥
Whats rare about a Gorshin interview?
Does anyone know what year this was filmed?
Does anyone wanna buy me a vowel and give me the name of the song playing at the beginning of this? :) I remember it from years ago but I can't recall the name. :(
The word "spiritual" is not really meaningful. Good interview though. I really like listening to Frank.
What year was this..? Thanks!
Probably the early 1990s.
Date at the end in Roman numerals
1990
...and why does he keep referring to Frank in the third person. Deja vu
Daniel Gaughan That’s Skip’s trademark. Always referred to people in the third person.
I met Frank in 1997 at Atlanta GA. Very sweet. But he had laryngitis and couldn't talk.
25:05 “has Burt Lancaster ever seen Richard Burton”. This interviewer is dull, as in daft. Gorshin was having fun at his expense. “C’mon” the guy says. Don’t make fun of my idiocy. Very disturbing interviewer. Still, I appreciate that he did it so we could glimpse into Frank’s life.
None of us can hear - thank you for that
Sammy Davis Jr. Was good to
This could have been a great interview if it had been done by a good interviewer and on a decent set with proper chairs...
As I do when I take off my hat, you make a good point !!
Jiminey!
This interviewer needs to learn the pronoun "you".
Interviewer is horrible. Omg.. if I didnt want to hear frank so bad I would have stopped listening.
I know what you mean ! I only watch these interviews to see stars I love. It takes all my strength to put up with Skip. I love Skip's enthusiasm but his interviewing skills were nil. :-(
What year was this?
Love Skip E. Lowe's style.
Impressionist or actor... worked for Frank as well as Jim Carrey and others.
Skip is creepy...
its not rare anymore
I just came back here wonderi g why I watched this halfway through and never continued....I think I remember, this interviewer guy makes it suddenly get more and more cringeworthy...
stobbi38 lol
funny that he worked at a theater as an usher, because i almost got in a fist fight with him at a movie theater when i was an usher. this was in 2003 and i was 18. he was in the fire exit smoking, he put napkins in the door so he could get back in. i told him he couldnt smoke and he'd have to go outside. he basically told me to fk-off. i took the napkins out of the door to lock him out. he came back in through the front and started cussing at me and threatening to hit me. i got the manager and they didnt know the whole story, but said that if he didnt calm down he'd have to leave. didnt know it was frank gorshin until one day i looked up the riddler and instantly recognized him (2003 photo) of him with his leather jacket, cigarette and round glasses.
It's too bad that Frank didn't know that Jolson wasn't a great guy in real life.
Kevin Butler how so?