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Hail Caesar! How Sid Caesar reinvented comedy for TV
Comic Sid Caesar (1922-2014) was a master of humor, slapstick and accents, whose 1950s series "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour" rewrote the rules of comedy in the new medium of television. Correspondent Mo Rocca talks with David Margolick, author of the biography "When Caesar Was King," and with comedian Robert Klein, about the unique gifts of Caesar (whose reputation has been eclipsed by the writers he hired, including Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart, Woody Allen and Neil Simon); and how the hard work of seemingly effortless laughs took its toll on the comedian.
TL;DR
- Sid Caesar (1922-2014) was a celebrated comedian skilled in humor, slapstick, and accents.
- His 1950s television series, "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour," were groundbreaking.
- Caesar's reputation is sometimes eclipsed by the notable writers he hired, such as Mel Brooks and Woody Allen.
- The demanding nature of his work had a significant impact on him.