I was the Associate Director of this show - The Allen Show - syndicated in about 200 markets. One of my favorite stories is discovering Foster Brooks during a full day of auditions - - and he fooled all of us on the production staff - - for about 60 seconds and then, like everyone, we were rolling on the floor with laughter! We put him on the following week with Bill Cosby and introduced him as his 6th grade basketball coach!
Oh, well great job because I really loved these shows. I have a memory of his talk show being on in the late 60s. I am in Southern California and it aired around five or 6 PM. Is that what this particular show was? I’ve been looking for some of these late 60s shows. They were so good! How fortunate that you were part of that show! Thanks for the foster brooks story!
Foster Brooks was great. It saddens me though, today people don't know just how much a genius Steve Allen was. He really was the father of Late Night comedy and a brilliant musician/man. He used to follow Carson before Letterman did, and man, that was 2 hours of sometimes absolute hysteria.
He was. He did a public service announcement for a local charity here in Las Vegas around the same time and was just a complete gentleman: urbane, dignified. You could see that he really care about the cause and wasn't just acting.
What's priceless is that Steve Allen was a master at staying in character for a bit, and he couldn't keep it together. Foster Brooks was a comic's comic. You could set him up quickly with whichever hokey backstory you wanted (pilot, mayor, physician, old flame, network executive), drop him into the pit with the biggest comedy legends ever (Gleason, Berle, Benny, Hope, Ball, Caesar, Rickles), and he stole the event.
Foster brought down the house before he sat down! I love how he described his drunk character..... "A man who has had too much to drink, & is trying to hide the fact he's drunk....and failing miserably!" That last line killed! The Ten Commandments, edited for commercials, The Three Commands. BRILLIANT!!! Still meaningful in 2019. Love & Respect to Foster Brooks. You are missed! Thanks for all the belly laugh's! Rest in Peace.
Oh man Foster Brooks was a genius. His timing was incredible. Every straight man he ever played to, Dean, Steve Allen, Carson could not keep a straight face and they usually ended up with tears they were laughing so hard. The Steve Allen show was brilliant too. Stevarino was hilarious.
Steve Allen hosted the Tonight Show just before Johnny Carson took over in 1962. Allen is a very underrated comedian. He was often hilarious to watch. He also frequented the Sid Caesar Comedy Hour and Your Show of Shows in the 1950's and 60's. His comic timing was impeccable. I miss people like him, Sid Caesar, Louis Nye, Bill Dana, Imogene Coca and Don Knotts. Television simply does not produce people with talent like this today.
I remember the woman sitting next to Foster Brooks was Steve Allen's wife (Jane Meadows) . She was interviewed years later about this and she said she was really angry and embarrassed because she really thought Brooks was bombed out of his skull. She said she would smile at the camera out of complete embarrassment. Brooks really pulled one over on them. Steve Allen was the only one who knew it was a prank.
Yessir, I wassss laffffing. . . . laf laughing my behind-er off looong after the clip was oofer, over. Foster was a genius, 3 commandments, worth waiting for.
For sure! When you see Mr. Brooks cracking up comedy legends like Jack Benny, George Burns, Lucille Ball, and Don Rickles, then you know you're in the presence of true greatness. :-)
I remember this, I was crying when I first saw it!!! It's a shame the UK really knows nothing of this great actor and CZcams has been a Godsend to see him in action!! Thanks do much for posting this.
"Back in the days when I first started, there wasn't any entertainment on television at all. They just had the news report, the weather forecast and Ed Sullivan." ROFL!!
This was the most hilarious talk show set up I've ever seen. Steve Allen was the greatest talk show host among the greatest. Foster Brooks was the funniest fake scene stealer ever created for TV. The Perfect Combination for the PERFECT sketch ... THE BEST OF ALL TIME.
Brooks ALMOST loses character at 2:03 . . . . but quickly pulls it back together. He can barely stop laughing at everyone else laughing. What a comedy genius!
+Chad Quick. I remember at the beginning of Foster Brooks roast of Don Rickles, before he even said anything both Dean and Don were melting on the table. Just his expressions and movements was enough. Hilarious.
I absolutely love love love Foster Brooks...the drunk airline pilot skit has no equal ever from any comic... I was a little kid when I saw this and all his performances but I still haven't seen anyone as funny as this guy.
Steve Allen was the absolute best, even over Johnny Carson in my opinion. Eventually, acting drunk became " politically incorrect " and Foster was criticized for his routine, and I don;t recall anyone even attempting performing comically as intoxicated after him. But I think the biggest reason was anyone doing so would have been compared to Foster Brooks, the master.
Apparently in this appearance, the only two people who realized that “Mr. Fosters” was actually sober were Foster Brooks and Steve Allen. That’s the reason for the looks on the faces of the other guests. They apparently really thought he was intoxicated. The thing is that it would be almost impossible to do the act that Foster Brooks did if one was really intoxicated, because it would be impossible to get the timing down, and timing is everything in comedy. What should have tipped them off that this was an act was the comment about “The Three Commandments”. That’s if they weren’t tipped off by Steve Allen laughing so hard he was coughing. It’s a shame the stage was set up in this way, as we couldn’t really get good reaction shots of the other guests. Obviously this was an early appearance of Foster Brooks, as no one other than Steve Allen was aware that this was just a sober man playing a drunk.
Absolute genius. I remember watching him as a kid on the Des O'Connor Show and my old man nearly having a seizure through laughing so hard. Happy Days indeed.
In the late 50s our family moved to the suburbs of Rochester. Every Saturday morning the Junior Bowling League would meet at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes. One of our favorite parents at the establishment-Foster Brooks. At the time he was a TV performer and weather person. A group of us would always ask him for rides to a nearby shopping center, and he always obliged. The "industry rumor" was that the day WROC-TV was sold in 1961, Foster left town. No one knew where he was going. One night, an obviously intoxicated guy showed up on a TV show. Apparently no one on the show (except Foster and a producer) knew it was an act. Eventually he was identified on the show as Foster Brooks. I was watching, and was thrilled to see what had happened to our old childhood buddy. His Rochester TV station had a live bowling show and it every so often Foster would show up with his fake ball, which he'd always release into the crowd behind him. It was harmless, but hilarious!! One of our favorite people ever. This may be the show he first appeared on-or it may have been "The Tonight Show" -but it's obvious that no one knew on this show that they were dealing with a prank. The look on their faces (Steve Lawrence, Jane Meadows) and the reaction of Steve Allen -priceless.
They may not have known to begin with, but the guys on the dais seemed to catch on after a few moments. Jayne Meadows, on the other hand, said in later years' interviews that she seriously thought he was a network executive who had come on the show drunk, and she was outraged... her expression certainly looks angry. I actually remember seeing this particular show when it aired, it was the first time I saw Foster Brooks, and became an instant fan.
The same thing happened when he was on Johnny Carson for the first time. People were completely fooled. Carson had to explain the act when Brooks was on a second time.
Nobody but the host knew he was acting. That was what made it so spectacular. It was his first live performance... and they fell for it! Wonderful Acting.
What is hysterical is watching Audrey Meadows scanning each of the other guests with this inquiring look as if to say, "Am I the only one who has noticed that this fellow is drunk out of his mind?" I wish someone would post the full clip, as it is obvious that this is just a piece of it.
Watching this first televised interview and then moving over to his appearances on Dean Martin Roast, you can clearly see how Foster Brooks perfected his craft over the years. Absolutely brilliant. Never tire of watching him!
What most people don't know is that Steve Allen was the only one that knew Foster was a comedian. The look on Steve's wife's face made it even more funny. RIP FOSTER
Erm... it says right in the description that the others didn't know he was drunk. And see my comment from 8 years ago, I mention the other guests not knowing he was drunk. So, I think "most people" probably did know. 😄
@@ashleyp.4932 Most people don't read the description before watching the clip and they darn sure don't go searching for your "comment from 8 years ago" so why don't you just pip off?
On the syndicated Steve Allen Show of the 1960s, Allen introduced Brooks as an important movie producer. Brooks stumbled on stage doing his drunk act, fooling some of the other guests. Brooks claimed to be the executive in charge of editing movies for television. His biggest success, he said, was the famous movie The Three Commandments. Ashley, I was around 10 to 12 years old when I first saw Foster on the Steve Allen show. So your comment means squat to me. I'm just happy to see the old TV shows from when I was a kid. By the way, I just turned 70 in May of 23.
Steve Allen was fond of doing these "interviews" where the guest was a ringer. I remember him doing one featuring Bob Einstein (later Super Dave Osborne) as an NFL tight end. He held it together then, but not even Steve Allen could keep a straight face when Foster Brooks was on!
I believe that you are correct. Probably not much info about it because it would go against his image for comedy. He was very talented and very much missed by me and millions of people around the world I'm sure
Forster Brooks was a genius. Nobody had ever done this type of stand up. Even Otis the drunk from the Andy Griffith show was a knock off of Foster Brooks. He was also a well trained singer. It's where he learned to control his voice.
@@waynetremblett9308 That was Mrs. Steve Allen A/K/A Jayne Meadows. She obviously was not too quick on the uptake because she still seemed clueless, and annoyed, after Foster Brooks uttered the classic line "The Three Commandments".
None of the guests knew who Foster Brooks was. This was his first TV appearance, if I'm not mistaken. That's why they looked shocked. They though Brooks was actually drunk. Steve Allen is cracking up at how h'e sandbagging everybody - including his wife Jayne Meadows. Look at the expression on her face. Steve and Jayne had one of the greatest love matches of all time. Married 46 years.
Steve Allen just fell apart, he can't hold it 2gether! No one can hold it 2gether when Foster Brooks is around! The BEST EVER comic around! RIP Foster, make the angels laugh!
I remember watching this in the 70s and we had no idea it was a gag! Watching the others stare at "Mr. Foster" is priceless. I think Steve Allen was the only one in on the joke.
Pity we don't see the end of the show, where, I'm guessing, the guests are informed of the prank. I've been binge watching Brookes's incomparable roasts, recently. Such a comedic genious, with impeccable timing.
I think Steve Lawrence and Ralph Edwards got the joke right away. Jayne Meadows (sitting next to Foster) probably figured it out. I don't think Carol Lawrence had a clue. I wouldn't be surprised if Louie Nye (sitting by Jayne) knew Foster and just played it straight.
You mean Mrs. Steve Allen (AKA Jayne Meadows)? I think you are correct. It seems that nobody there but Steve (possibly also Steve Lawrence) knew anything about Foster Brooks or the nature of his act at the time.
Steve Laurence looks clueless too, I think these guys should get out more. 😂 If you look down in the description it say the guests were unaware that he was a 'fake' drunk. I think he's hilarious! 😂😂
Jayne Meadows had no idea who Foster Brooks was. No one else did either. Just look at her reaction. Steve Allen is dying laughing because he'd pranked his wife. She fell for it and he had it in tape..m
I saw this when it first aired. I was just a kid. I remember thinking that he was drunk. The woman next to Foster Brooks is Steve Allen's wife and years later she said she was outraged at the time that what she thought was a drunk man would come out on the show in that condition. Nobody knew except Steve Allen and Foster Brooks. Lol.
I think one of Ralph Edwards' tag lines was that he'd almost forgotten this or that, but it's been so long ago I've almost forgotten, myself! If memory serves me, Foster was friends with Edwards, and Edwards was instrumental in getting Foster onto this show, much to the ensuing entertainment of millions of grateful fans!
I remember seeing this clip (and Foster Brooks) for the first time. He was so good i was completely taken in.As were most of the other guests i think. Since then i think i,ve watched nearly all his appearances on the 'roasts' - and he never fails to get you laughing.Brilliant.
Foster never seemed to break character. I've seen all of his appearances on the Dean Martin Roasts and he'd be perfectly in character while the whole room was laughing hysterically. Unless it was edited out.
+alworkedup. In one Dean Martin Roast episode I saw one small glimmer of a smile, but otherwise it's just like you say. Everyone would be laughing, but he kept a straight face.
Foster Brooks is the only comedian who makes me laugh out loud. And he has a unique act---one of a kind. Steve Allen was the most inventively original deviser of comedy in the early 50s, along with Ernie Kovacs. Both much imitated by later comedy shows. Saw his show for dozens of hours. Likable guy.
I think this sketch shows how women and men are different around a drunk (yes, I know Foster Brooks was faking being drunk!). If none of the other guests were aware he was a fake drunk, then the men are sitting there laughing at what FB is saying, yet the two ladies (especially the one in pink) seems almost embarrassed to be there with him. I thought she was getting it at the end when she almost laughed, but her expression quickly reverted back to almost mild distaste.
That's Jayne Meadows...Steve Allen's wife. It's so hilarious that she didn't know FB was a phony drunk. So, the set-up worked on her too. I love how she keeps looking at everyone else with a look on her face of, "Do you believe how drunk this guy is?"
@@TheMaggiemay77 Have you considered that she did know what was going on and helped sell it with her reaction. Jayne Meadows was a pretty damn good actor too.
@@RTSOB1 I am not sure - I mean it very much depends on how she viewed drunks generally. I know a female whose father was a heavy drinker, and so she doesn't like being around someone who is drunk and even finds it hard to watch them on TV - even when she KNOWS they are acting.
The notes to the video are correct. From what I recall, I believe this was Brooks first appearance on TV and Allen never introduced him as a comedian. So many thought he was an actual executive who simply showed up drunk. I think Steve Lawrence caught on, but Jayne Meadows didn't and that's why she looks embarrassed.
Paul Ski Maybe someone in her family had been injured or killed by some idiot who was drinking and then driving? Ah, gee, it's not so funny, now. Alcohol is a dangerous drug.
Good job of staying in character. First time I saw him was on the Tonight Show, where Johnny Carson introduced him as the mayor of Burbank. I was rolling on the floor.
Thank goodness You Tube has enabled those of us that got to experience these very rare moments way back then to relive those very rare times. This was absolutely magical what Steve Allen and Foster Brooks pulled over his guests. To see Jayne totally bewildered, perplexed and embarrassed trying to comprehend what in the world is taking place here. She just couldn't believe that a drunk executive was allowed to be interviewed and exorbitant craziness was occurring while the show was live on the air. The rest of Steve's guests seemed to take it all in stride for fun. Foster was always hilarious to be around. Just be sure you've got a box of Kleenex.
Foster Brooks was actually quite the gentleman. I wish someone could find the video in which Louis Nye had a scene at a bar with (I Think) Steve Allen, in which he had rehearsed it while drinking a non-alcoholic beverage. During the scene that was actually filmed, they substituted the drink for an alcoholic one, and I remember the look on Louis Nye's face as being priceless. Those were the days!!
Thanks for posting this. This man was brilliantly funny. It's not just that he's a convincing drunk (that by itself would get old in a hurry), but his actual material is sidesplitting as well!
The lady beside him is practicing the biting the tip of your tongue technique to prevent you from laughing. Watch all of her movements. They are classic.
+Johnny Skinwalker I've read all of her post show comments. Just keep watching very closely. You'll see what I'm talking about. She goes through a whole range of emotions. Outraged or not, you can't help but laugh, because this is hysterical.
The actress sitting next to Foster, who appeared as one of the Pigeon sisters in The Odd Couple, seems to think Foster is in deed Drunk. A funny routine.
Jayne Meadows had no idea what was going on, but she tried to keep her poise. Brooks was great at being a "guest expert," on the talk shows. God I miss him.
freaky: the woman you are referring to is Eydie Gorme. The joke here was that NONE of the guests new who Foster Brooks was. They really thought he was a drunken network executive. As for Eydie's facial expression, you have to remember the time period. She was actually appalled because she thought this was real. Somewhere there is an interview where she is speaking about this and she says that Brooks was so perfect in his delivery that she thought the network had forced him onto the show knowing he was drunk . The interview I am referring to may have been on one of those Dick Clark blooper shows. Love Foster Brooks. Watch him on the dean Martin Roast of Don Rickles.
+Ben Breeg The woman was not Eydie Gorme (She was Steve Lawrence's wife). The woman was actually Jayne Meadows, who was Steve Allen's wife and she certainly didn't look like she caught on. She was livid. As far as Foster Brooks, I watched all his Dean Martin Roast appearances and I must say, out of character, he seemed liked a real gentleman. Notice - no foul language and yet he was really funny. See - There once was a time when comedians could actually be classy.
yes I was referring to the woman to the left of Steve Lawrence but after re-reading the post I realized he was talking about Meadows. My error. Yes I agree with what you said. Never any need to be off color. He even managed to roast Rickles and say he was sleeping with Rickles' wife without using profanity. Loved Brooks. Listen to him singing the 12 days of Christmas.
Steve Allan also threw a curve ball at the other guests because he introduced Foster Brooks as "Mister Foster." In that roast of Don Rickles, one of the funniest lines after he tells Don that he was fooling around with his wife was his statement that they were trying to be discreet, and asks him not to tell anyone. He then leans over to Dean Martin and tells him his wife would be furious if she found out. He was hilarious, and he could get Martin laughing so hard he would be bent over.
I'm still not 100% sure that Jayne Meadows wasn't acting displeased, as opposed to actually feeling that way. She certainly should have known enough about her husband, Steve Allen, to understand that he was playing "straight man" here to Foster Brook's comic persona. And, let's face it, her "outrage" at a "TV executive" coming onto the show completely "inebriated," only makes the sequence funnier.
This man right here is truly amazing you can't tell if he's drunk or he's playing drunk he's just that good God bless you mr. Brooks I watch this excuse me I'll watch Dean Martin when you was on there estructura etc this man is very very very talented he's going home to his fatherin heaven this want to say this lady sitting next to him is confused is he drunk? LOL.. God bless you and I always going to continue watching you
great clip.i remember this show being on ktla in los angeles in the 70`s. allen would do the wackiest things. i hope there are more clips from his 70`s show.
I remember seeing this show. The funniest part was the fact that Steve’s wife (Jane Meadows-sitting next to Foster Brooks) never caught on that it was a joke.
I was the Associate Director of this show - The Allen Show - syndicated in about 200 markets. One of my favorite stories is discovering Foster Brooks during a full day of auditions - - and he fooled all of us on the production staff - - for about 60 seconds and then, like everyone, we were rolling on the floor with laughter! We put him on the following week with Bill Cosby and introduced him as his 6th grade basketball coach!
Oh, well great job because I really loved these shows. I have a memory of his talk show being on in the late 60s. I am in Southern California and it aired around five or 6 PM. Is that what this particular show was? I’ve been looking for some of these late 60s shows. They were so good! How fortunate that you were part of that show! Thanks for the foster brooks story!
Brilliant- He is an original 👍👍👍🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 stomach hurts 👍👍👍
Wow, thanks for adding that context.
Foster Brooks was great. It saddens me though, today people don't know just how much a genius Steve Allen was. He really was the father of Late Night comedy and a brilliant musician/man. He used to follow Carson before Letterman did, and man, that was 2 hours of sometimes absolute hysteria.
The best.....
Foster Brooks, a true comedic genius. Gone, but remembered, and loved.
Derek Walker
The greats liked to have him around because he could fill up that dead space "dead air". Foster Brooks was a true professional.
Nigel Hornbean mm
I met Foster around 1980, and he was the most polite, down-to-earth and generous person. Nothing phony or Hollywood about him at all.
He was. He did a public service announcement for a local charity here in Las Vegas around the same time and was just a complete gentleman: urbane, dignified. You could see that he really care about the cause and wasn't just acting.
What's priceless is that Steve Allen was a master at staying in character for a bit, and he couldn't keep it together. Foster Brooks was a comic's comic. You could set him up quickly with whichever hokey backstory you wanted (pilot, mayor, physician, old flame, network executive), drop him into the pit with the biggest comedy legends ever (Gleason, Berle, Benny, Hope, Ball, Caesar, Rickles), and he stole the event.
The Dean Marrin Roasts with Foster are phenomenal.
E30 M3 ;
Absolutely!!! He always went last because no one wanted to follow his act! His roasts of Don Rickles & Lucille Ball are pure comedy GOLD!!!
"I was responsible for cutting the movies to fit the commercials...you ever see the great epic the three commandments?"
LMFAO 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😅😅😅
Foster brought down the house before he sat down! I love how he described his drunk character.....
"A man who has had too much to drink, & is trying to hide the fact he's drunk....and failing miserably!"
That last line killed! The Ten Commandments, edited for commercials, The Three Commands. BRILLIANT!!! Still meaningful in 2019.
Love & Respect to Foster Brooks. You are missed! Thanks for all the belly laugh's! Rest in Peace.
Oh man Foster Brooks was a genius. His timing was incredible. Every straight man he ever played to, Dean, Steve Allen, Carson could not keep a straight face and they usually ended up with tears they were laughing so hard. The Steve Allen show was brilliant too. Stevarino was hilarious.
Steve Allen hosted the Tonight Show just before Johnny Carson took over in 1962. Allen is a very underrated comedian. He was often hilarious to watch. He also frequented the Sid Caesar Comedy Hour and Your Show of Shows in the 1950's and 60's. His comic timing was impeccable. I miss people like him, Sid Caesar, Louis Nye, Bill Dana, Imogene Coca and Don Knotts. Television simply does not produce people with talent like this today.
@@michaelverbakel7632 I agree.. Norm Crosby was another great one.
I remember the woman sitting next to Foster Brooks was Steve Allen's wife (Jane Meadows) . She was interviewed years later about this and she said she was really angry and embarrassed because she really thought Brooks was bombed out of his skull. She said she would smile at the camera out of complete embarrassment. Brooks really pulled one over on them. Steve Allen was the only one who knew it was a prank.
She has no sense of humor.
Thx for the explanation. I was wondering why that lady looked like she'd swallowed a lemon dipped in vinegar
That poor lady, if she'd realized it was an act, she'd have been crying with laughter too.
The three commandments. This is classic Foster Brooks, such a professional. RIP mate.
I laughed out loud when I heard him say the Three Commandments!
He said, "The Three Commands". It had to be shortened so they could put in more commercials!!!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Yessir, I wassss laffffing. . . . laf laughing my behind-er off looong after the clip was oofer, over.
Foster was a genius, 3 commandments, worth waiting for.
One of the best straight deliveries EVER.
Foster Brooks is without question the funniest ever.
For sure! When you see Mr. Brooks cracking up comedy legends like Jack Benny, George Burns, Lucille Ball, and Don Rickles, then you know you're in the presence of true greatness. :-)
He passed away dec 20 2001 He lived a very long life and made millions laugh! God Bless him!
2 minutes of tears in my eyes from laughter for my favorite, Foster Brooks. I can't get enough of him.(ls)
May he rest in peace. He was one of the Great Ones.
There is NO ONE who has ever done a routine like this other than Foster Brooks. Never before and never since. Still makes me laugh.
Foster Brooks used to land my mom and sisters on the floor laughing. Played the best drunk in the world 😂😂😂
I remember this, I was crying when I first saw it!!! It's a shame the UK really knows nothing of this great actor and CZcams has been a Godsend to see him in action!! Thanks do much for posting this.
Man, I would love to see the rest of this clip!
"Back in the days when I first started, there wasn't any entertainment on television at all. They just had the news report, the weather forecast and Ed Sullivan." ROFL!!
They don't make them like Foster Brooks or Steve Allen anymore. Legends!
Yeah because THIS was before the left and liberalism turned EVERYTHING into political correctness. It's a shittier world as a result....
This was the most hilarious talk show set up I've ever seen. Steve Allen was the greatest talk show host among the greatest. Foster Brooks was the funniest fake scene stealer ever created for TV. The Perfect Combination for the PERFECT sketch ... THE BEST OF ALL TIME.
Foster Brooks! Maybe the funniest man ever!
How any comedian can keep their timing when constantly interrupted with laughter shows his skill as a comic.
Brooks ALMOST loses character at 2:03 . . . . but quickly pulls it back together. He can barely stop laughing at everyone else laughing. What a comedy genius!
No one could hold it together when Foster was around.
They sure couldn't. Dean Martin always cracked up just introducing him lol
+Chad Quick. I remember at the beginning of Foster Brooks roast of Don Rickles, before he even said anything both Dean and Don were melting on the table. Just his expressions and movements was enough. Hilarious.
Chad Quick George bush and Steve bridges
the mannequin in pink held it together
Except for the girl in pink sitting next to him. She got her sense of humour stolen from her parked car earlier that day.
First time we saw this genius on national tv. The set-up was brilliant.
I absolutely love love love Foster Brooks...the drunk airline pilot skit has no equal ever from any comic...
I was a little kid when I saw this and all his performances but I still haven't seen anyone as funny as this guy.
Funny how the guy's "got it" and the women were like" what the hell is going on here"?? HAHAHAHA!!!
Steve Allen was the absolute best, even over Johnny Carson in my opinion. Eventually, acting drunk became " politically incorrect " and Foster was criticized for his routine, and I don;t recall anyone even attempting performing comically as intoxicated after him. But I think the biggest reason was anyone doing so would have been compared to Foster Brooks, the master.
Ŕemeber Dudley Moore made alcolism look like fun for the whole family
Apparently in this appearance, the only two people who realized that “Mr. Fosters” was actually sober were Foster Brooks and Steve Allen. That’s the reason for the looks on the faces of the other guests. They apparently really thought he was intoxicated.
The thing is that it would be almost impossible to do the act that Foster Brooks did if one was really intoxicated, because it would be impossible to get the timing down, and timing is everything in comedy.
What should have tipped them off that this was an act was the comment about “The Three Commandments”. That’s if they weren’t tipped off by Steve Allen laughing so hard he was coughing.
It’s a shame the stage was set up in this way, as we couldn’t really get good reaction shots of the other guests. Obviously this was an early appearance of Foster Brooks, as no one other than Steve Allen was aware that this was just a sober man playing a drunk.
the only other drunk routine i can recall is Adam Corolla and Jimmy Kimmel pretending to be drunk pilots in an airport...hilarious stuff.
Jack Parr was the best
Wow I didn't know that. Thank you
Thank you so much Foster for all the laugh's,Mr. Brooks is a legend and I enjoy him very very much! Thank you
"take it or pip off". I busted a gut.
Absolute genius. I remember watching him as a kid on the Des O'Connor Show and my old man nearly having a seizure through laughing so hard. Happy Days indeed.
I LOVE Foster! This clip is one of my three most favourite CZcams submissions spotlighting him -- thanks so much for posting it!
I was crying from laughter watching this.
In the late 50s our family moved to the suburbs of Rochester. Every Saturday morning the Junior Bowling League would meet at Bowl-A-Roll Lanes. One of our favorite parents at the establishment-Foster Brooks. At the time he was a TV performer and weather person. A group of us would always ask him for rides to a nearby shopping center, and he always obliged. The "industry rumor" was that the day WROC-TV was sold in 1961, Foster left town. No one knew where he was going. One night, an obviously intoxicated guy showed up on a TV show. Apparently no one on the show (except Foster and a producer) knew it was an act. Eventually he was identified on the show as Foster Brooks. I was watching, and was thrilled to see what had happened to our old childhood buddy. His Rochester TV station had a live bowling show and it every so often Foster would show up with his fake ball, which he'd always release into the crowd behind him. It was harmless, but hilarious!! One of our favorite people ever. This may be the show he first appeared on-or it may have been "The Tonight Show" -but it's obvious that no one knew on this show that they were dealing with a prank. The look on their faces (Steve Lawrence, Jane Meadows) and the reaction of Steve Allen -priceless.
They may not have known to begin with, but the guys on the dais seemed to catch on after a few moments. Jayne Meadows, on the other hand, said in later years' interviews that she seriously thought he was a network executive who had come on the show drunk, and she was outraged... her expression certainly looks angry.
I actually remember seeing this particular show when it aired, it was the first time I saw Foster Brooks, and became an instant fan.
GuinnevereB "
The same thing happened when he was on Johnny Carson for the first time. People were completely fooled. Carson had to explain the act when Brooks was on a second time.
Yep! He was that good!
Definitely one of the best Foster Brooks bits ever
Nobody but the host knew he was acting. That was what made it so spectacular. It was his first live performance... and they fell for it!
Wonderful Acting.
Foster Brooks made the perfect impersonation of a drunk. Unique talent.
What is hysterical is watching Audrey Meadows scanning each of the other guests with this inquiring look as if to say, "Am I the only one who has noticed that this fellow is drunk out of his mind?" I wish someone would post the full clip, as it is obvious that this is just a piece of it.
One of my all time favorite comedians.
Watching this first televised interview and then moving over to his appearances on Dean Martin Roast, you can clearly see how Foster Brooks perfected his craft over the years. Absolutely brilliant. Never tire of watching him!
Foster Brooks was a gem. I am happy I am old enough to have seen some of his acts, mostly from the Dean Martin Roast.
What most people don't know is that Steve Allen was the only one that knew Foster was a comedian. The look on Steve's wife's face made it even more funny. RIP FOSTER
Erm... it says right in the description that the others didn't know he was drunk. And see my comment from 8 years ago, I mention the other guests not knowing he was drunk. So, I think "most people" probably did know. 😄
@@ashleyp.4932 Most people don't read the description before watching the clip and they darn sure don't go searching for your "comment from 8 years ago" so why don't you just pip off?
On the syndicated Steve Allen Show of the 1960s, Allen introduced Brooks as an important movie producer. Brooks stumbled on stage doing his drunk act, fooling some of the other guests. Brooks claimed to be the executive in charge of editing movies for television. His biggest success, he said, was the famous movie The Three Commandments. Ashley, I was around 10 to 12 years old when I first saw Foster on the Steve Allen show. So your comment means squat to me. I'm just happy to see the old TV shows from when I was a kid. By the way, I just turned 70 in May of 23.
Steve Allen was fond of doing these "interviews" where the guest was a ringer. I remember him doing one featuring Bob Einstein (later Super Dave Osborne) as an NFL tight end. He held it together then, but not even Steve Allen could keep a straight face when Foster Brooks was on!
also saw Bob Euchre first on Steve Allen telling fake baseball stories
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I read that Foster Brooks didn't even drink. That in itself shows how talented this guy truly was.
Foster quit drinking to win a $10 bet, "...cause I needed the money." what a great talent he had...
He didn’t drink at all. He did quit.
He only drank when he was with somebody or when he was alone.🍸
@@roberthuot7887 Yeah, right, Robert.....Only on days that end in the letter 'Y'.....
I believe that you are correct. Probably not much info about it because it would go against his image for comedy. He was very talented and very much missed by me and millions of people around the world I'm sure
Forster Brooks was a genius. Nobody had ever done this type of stand up. Even Otis the drunk from the Andy Griffith show was a knock off of Foster Brooks.
He was also a well trained singer. It's where he learned to control his voice.
Claude Rains my TWO Favorite "DRUNKS"... EVER...EVER...EVER... "Otis Campbell and Foster Brooks"
Who was the bitch beside him in the pink looks unhappt
@@waynetremblett9308 That was Mrs. Steve Allen A/K/A Jayne Meadows. She obviously was not too quick on the uptake because she still seemed clueless, and annoyed, after Foster Brooks uttered the classic line "The Three Commandments".
Otis Campbell was on Andy's show before Brooks was well known.
Screamin' funny - Brooks was one-of-a-kind.. a true American Original.
None of the guests knew who Foster Brooks was. This was his first TV appearance, if I'm not mistaken. That's why they looked shocked. They though Brooks was actually drunk.
Steve Allen is cracking up at how h'e sandbagging everybody - including his wife Jayne Meadows. Look at the expression on her face. Steve and Jayne had one of the greatest love matches of all time. Married 46 years.
God can only laugh now.What a great talent, I've watched everything he ever did, and never stopped Laughing.Rest in piece Foster.
OMG I don't know how he did this with a straight face lol!
Steve Allen just fell apart, he can't hold it 2gether! No one can hold it 2gether when Foster Brooks is around! The BEST EVER comic around! RIP Foster, make the angels laugh!
I remember watching this in the 70s and we had no idea it was a gag! Watching the others stare at "Mr. Foster" is priceless. I think Steve Allen was the only one in on the joke.
Mr. Foster....this is hilarious. Miss Steve Allen
Pity we don't see the end of the show, where, I'm guessing, the guests are informed of the prank. I've been binge watching Brookes's incomparable roasts, recently. Such a comedic genious, with impeccable timing.
I think Steve Lawrence and Ralph Edwards got the joke right away. Jayne Meadows (sitting next to Foster) probably figured it out. I don't think Carol Lawrence had a clue. I wouldn't be surprised if Louie Nye (sitting by Jayne) knew Foster and just played it straight.
Thanks for posting this - a nice gift to Steve Allen fans!
The Lady in pink, next to Foster Brooks, doesn't know he's joking. She thinks it's for real, look at her reactions!! LOL
Thats Carol Burnett
@@tomorcutt no ... that's Jayne Mwadows, Steve Allen's wife.
No Torn that is Jayne Meadows......Steve Allans wife
I wish they would release all of Steve Allen's Shows on DVD.
You get the feeling pink dress has no idea it's an act? Lol
You mean Mrs. Steve Allen (AKA Jayne Meadows)? I think you are correct. It seems that nobody there but Steve (possibly also Steve Lawrence) knew anything about Foster Brooks or the nature of his act at the time.
Steve Laurence looks clueless too, I think these guys should get out more. 😂
If you look down in the description it say the guests were unaware that he was a 'fake' drunk. I think he's hilarious! 😂😂
You're right. In a later interview, she talked about how nervous she was.
I am pretty sure she knows what this is all about.
Jayne Meadows had no idea who Foster Brooks was. No one else did either. Just look at her reaction. Steve Allen is dying laughing because he'd pranked his wife. She fell for it and he had it in tape..m
One and only. Comedic perfection
I saw this when it first aired. I was just a kid. I remember thinking that he was drunk. The woman next to Foster Brooks is Steve Allen's wife and years later she said she was outraged at the time that what she thought was a drunk man would come out on the show in that condition. Nobody knew except Steve Allen and Foster Brooks. Lol.
My mother used to love watching Foster Brooks acting "inebriated."
I think one of Ralph Edwards' tag lines was that he'd almost forgotten this or that, but it's been so long ago I've almost forgotten, myself! If memory serves me, Foster was friends with Edwards, and Edwards was instrumental in getting Foster onto this show, much to the ensuing entertainment of millions of grateful fans!
THIS IS BRILLIANT
Foster 'killed' on his 1st gig... THAT says alot right there.
This was before he became a well known mimic of inebriate.
How he kept from laughing is part of his genius. Best ever.
I remember seeing this clip (and Foster Brooks) for the first time. He was so good
i was completely taken in.As were most of the other guests i think.
Since then i think i,ve watched nearly all his appearances on the 'roasts' - and he never fails
to get you laughing.Brilliant.
Foster never seemed to break character. I've seen all of his appearances on the Dean Martin Roasts and he'd be perfectly in character while the whole room was laughing hysterically. Unless it was edited out.
+alworkedup. In one Dean Martin Roast episode I saw one small glimmer of a smile, but otherwise it's just like you say. Everyone would be laughing, but he kept a straight face.
Foster Brooks is the only comedian who makes me laugh out loud. And he has a unique act---one of a kind.
Steve Allen was the most inventively original deviser of comedy in the early 50s, along with Ernie Kovacs. Both much imitated by later comedy shows.
Saw his show for dozens of hours. Likable guy.
I think this sketch shows how women and men are different around a drunk (yes, I know Foster Brooks was faking being drunk!). If none of the other guests were aware he was a fake drunk, then the men are sitting there laughing at what FB is saying, yet the two ladies (especially the one in pink) seems almost embarrassed to be there with him. I thought she was getting it at the end when she almost laughed, but her expression quickly reverted back to almost mild distaste.
In watching the lady next to FB, we may be seeing some of the beginnings of "political correctness"? PC robs people of their sense of humor!
That's Jayne Meadows...Steve Allen's wife. It's so hilarious that she didn't know FB was a phony drunk. So, the set-up worked on her too. I love how she keeps looking at everyone else with a look on her face of, "Do you believe how drunk this guy is?"
Funny that Steve didn’t let Jane (his wife)in on the joke!
@@TheMaggiemay77 Have you considered that she did know what was going on and helped sell it with her reaction. Jayne Meadows was a pretty damn good actor too.
@@RTSOB1 I am not sure - I mean it very much depends on how she viewed drunks generally. I know a female whose father was a heavy drinker, and so she doesn't like being around someone who is drunk and even finds it hard to watch them on TV - even when she KNOWS they are acting.
The notes to the video are correct. From what I recall, I believe this was Brooks first appearance on TV and Allen never introduced him as a comedian. So many thought he was an actual executive who simply showed up drunk. I think Steve Lawrence caught on, but Jayne Meadows didn't and that's why she looks embarrassed.
Yeah, it looks like she didn't get the joke at all.
Paul Ski Maybe someone in her family had been injured or killed by some idiot who was drinking and then driving? Ah, gee, it's not so funny, now.
Alcohol is a dangerous drug.
He had a beard too. Maybe someone in her family was killed by an idiot with a beard.
No, it is just she didn't know it was a joke.
Perhaps Jayne was just a much better actress than even Foster.
id love to see the end of that when they all find out
Watch Jayne Meadows, her take is precious.
I dont think she knew he was just acting.
Thank you thank you for posting that!
They don't get any funnier than Brooks. This is hysterical.
He was a true originator, a comic genious. I love his works! I grew up watching the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts!
Good job of staying in character. First time I saw him was on the Tonight Show, where Johnny Carson introduced him as the mayor of Burbank. I was rolling on the floor.
"the 3 commandments"...that alone was epic. tears streaming out my eyes.
I actually saw this live. Too bad the end was cut off. Steve eventually revealed who Brooks was and Jayne admitted she had been very uncomfortable.
Thank goodness You Tube has enabled those of us that got to experience these very rare moments way back then to relive those very rare times. This was absolutely magical what Steve Allen and Foster Brooks pulled over his guests. To see Jayne totally bewildered, perplexed and embarrassed trying to comprehend what in the world is taking place here. She just couldn't believe that a drunk executive was allowed to be interviewed and exorbitant craziness was occurring while the show was live on the air. The rest of Steve's guests seemed to take it all in stride for fun. Foster was always hilarious to be around. Just be sure you've got a box of Kleenex.
Back again now Steve Allen was so talented and one of the best comediennes around whether straightmman or not✌😎
Jayne Meadows really enhances this. She was obviously clueless. The whole thing was Andy Kaufman-esque.
Good point (Kaufman)
Foster Brooks was actually quite the gentleman. I wish someone could find the video in which Louis Nye had a scene at a bar with (I Think) Steve Allen, in which he had rehearsed it while drinking a non-alcoholic beverage. During the scene that was actually filmed, they substituted the drink for an alcoholic one, and I remember the look on Louis Nye's face as being priceless. Those were the days!!
I was looking for this video for a long time,
is great, the last part is missing when they find out abot Mr Foster.
thanks for sharing it with us.
Thanks for posting this. This man was brilliantly funny. It's not just that he's a convincing drunk (that by itself would get old in a hurry), but his actual material is sidesplitting as well!
What makes this really funny is that the guests on the panel think that he’s really drunk. Faster Brooks another legend of his time!
What a master he was. Drunk no way, just a master of his time.
This was his first TV appearance and no one except Steve Allen knew about his drunk act.
Jayne's facial expressions are as funny as Foster is :)
Foster Brooks awesome. A great Louisville,Kentucky native. R.I,P.👏🏼📺🇺🇸⭐🤗♥️
The lady beside him is practicing the biting the tip of your tongue technique to prevent you from laughing. Watch all of her movements. They are classic.
I have no doubt! But, she was doing her best not to laugh. She should have known he was acting because his delivery and timing was too good!!!
she was not trying not to laugh, she was outraged, she thought he was a network executive that showed up at work drunk.
+Johnny Skinwalker I've read all of her post show comments. Just keep watching very closely. You'll see what I'm talking about. She goes through a whole range of emotions. Outraged or not, you can't help but laugh, because this is hysterical.
"That great epic 'The Three Commandments'". It's a shame Charlton Heston wasn't there. Hilarious.
The actress sitting next to Foster, who appeared as one of the Pigeon sisters in The Odd Couple, seems to think Foster is in deed Drunk. A funny routine.
Jayne Meadows was Steve Allen's wife!
Foster was a genius!
Jayne Meadows had no idea what was going on, but she tried to keep her poise.
Brooks was great at being a "guest expert," on the talk shows. God I miss him.
freaky: the woman you are referring to is Eydie Gorme. The joke here was that NONE of the guests new who Foster Brooks was. They really thought he was a drunken network executive. As for Eydie's facial expression, you have to remember the time period. She was actually appalled because she thought this was real. Somewhere there is an interview where she is speaking about this and she says that Brooks was so perfect in his delivery that she thought the network had forced him onto the show knowing he was drunk . The interview I am referring to may have been on one of those Dick Clark blooper shows. Love Foster Brooks. Watch him on the dean Martin Roast of Don Rickles.
+Ben Breeg The woman was not Eydie Gorme (She was Steve Lawrence's wife). The woman was actually Jayne Meadows, who was Steve Allen's wife and she certainly didn't look like she caught on. She was livid.
As far as Foster Brooks, I watched all his Dean Martin Roast appearances and I must say, out of character, he seemed liked a real gentleman. Notice - no foul language and yet he was really funny. See - There once was a time when comedians could actually be classy.
yes I was referring to the woman to the left of Steve Lawrence but after re-reading the post I realized he was talking about Meadows. My error. Yes I agree with what you said. Never any need to be off color. He even managed to roast Rickles and say he was sleeping with Rickles' wife without using profanity. Loved Brooks. Listen to him singing the 12 days of Christmas.
Foster on the Dean Martin Roast of Don Rickles was one of the funniest things I have ever aeen.
Steve Allan also threw a curve ball at the other guests because he introduced Foster Brooks as "Mister Foster." In that roast of Don Rickles, one of the funniest lines after he tells Don that he was fooling around with his wife was his statement that they were trying to be discreet, and asks him not to tell anyone. He then leans over to Dean Martin and tells him his wife would be furious if she found out. He was hilarious, and he could get Martin laughing so hard he would be bent over.
I'm still not 100% sure that Jayne Meadows wasn't acting displeased, as opposed to actually feeling that way. She certainly should have known enough about her husband, Steve Allen, to understand that he was playing "straight man" here to Foster Brook's comic persona. And, let's face it, her "outrage" at a "TV executive" coming onto the show completely "inebriated," only makes the sequence funnier.
This man right here is truly amazing you can't tell if he's drunk or he's playing drunk he's just that good God bless you mr. Brooks I watch this excuse me I'll watch Dean Martin when you was on there estructura etc this man is very very very talented he's going home to his fatherin heaven this want to say this lady sitting next to him is confused is he drunk? LOL.. God bless you and I always going to continue watching you
Priceless!
great clip.i remember this show being on ktla in los angeles in the 70`s. allen would do the wackiest things. i hope there are more clips from his 70`s show.
Only the best comedians can keep it funny AND clean
Foster Brooks once did a PSA for boating safety, its on youtube hopefully still.
I remember seeing this show. The funniest part was the fact that Steve’s wife (Jane Meadows-sitting next to Foster Brooks) never caught on that it was a joke.
"I'll drink to that" . . . great way to finish the skit !!!