Modified On April 8, 2005
Shecky Greene, standup comic, actor and one of the real-life characters that loomed large in 1960s-era Vegas, turned 79 years old today.
At one time Greene was the highest-paid act on the Las Vegas strip. His antics, and the stories of his contemporaries– Louis Prima, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley– contributed to the lore that made Sin City a premiere American tourist destination. Not only was he once a household name in America, but his first name achieved icon status, becoming a generic term meaning, loosely, one who cracks wise or makes jokes.
He recently moved to Palm Springs and, from all accounts, is virtually retired from performing.
We wish him a happy birthday.