Modified On July 3, 2006
From the NYT obit:
Jan Murray, a stand-up comedian who became one of television’s first stars, died yesterday at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 89[…]
Mr. Murray belonged to a close-knit generation of New York stand-up comics who honed their craft in local clubs and successfully made the transition to the then-novel medium of television[…]
The family often shared a story about the blend of cultures in Mr. Murray’s circle. Passover Seder at the Murrays was a Hollywood tradition, with a guest list of 40 on each of the two nights. Among the regular guests were Jackie Gleason, Jerry Lewis, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.
That would be one swingin’ Seder. Murray’s daughter said the house was always filled with comedians– Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, Shecky Greene and Buddy Hackett often gathered there for dinner and poker games. Read the rest.