The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine

I remember Marty Feldman being on the summer replacement show for "The Dean Martin Show". It was called "The Gold Diggers" and aside from the nice looking women, they always had one sketch by Marty Feldman (this was the 1st time I saw his famous veterinarian "thing in the box" routine - a classic.) I always thought Marty Feldman was probably born about 40 years too late, he had the classic silent movie slapstick look and feel about him. He would have rivaled the best from the 20s and 30s, right up there with Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy etc. To me, he was very reminiscent of Buster Keaton. At any rate, they did put on his show "The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine" for one season and I still remember many of his skits. What I wouldn't give to have the full collection on DVD. I'd pay good money to be able to see those skits again. Unfortunately, none of his movies (with the obvious exception of "Young Frankenstein") were very good - always too much plot that always seemed to get in the way of the raw slapstick comedy - - - a similar problem with all great classic silent comedians. But this one series called "The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine" contains Marty Feldman's best work - without argument it is his best work. Pure, unadulterated, short classic comedy skits that rival the best that Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd and the other famed performers of that era produced. I don't think anyone would argue with that fact. Each one "Comedy Machine" shows contained maybe 4 skits and each skit was an equivalent to a 1 or 2 reeler, and they were clearly classics. It is truly a waste that they are not currently available for all to enjoy today.

These were the absolute BEST comedy skits WHY DON'T THET RE-RELEASE THESE ? I FOR ONE WOULD BUY AS MANY AS WERE MADE WISH THAT I COULD FIND SO'MEONE WHO HAS THEM FOR SALE, ID BUY THEM IN A SECOND

Feldman was a genius, and he's working with the best people (e.g. Terry Gilliam, Orson Welles) in this classic series. The funniest thing I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE is the Beard-Straining Contest, an Olympic competition to force out facial hair within a time limit.

I think Marty Felman was a Genious ,he needed no props not really anyone else on the stage with him, He didn't need the movies, with other people around him, He shined his brightest when alone on a stage. I don't think he ever got the recognition that he deserved, He was the one man I would have dearly to have loved to meet, The world is a lot less bright without him, I quote the words so aptly put on his grave site, YOU MADE US LAUGH YOU TOOK AWAY OUR PAIN WE LOVE YOU

I first became familiar with the comedy sketches of the late British comedian Marty Feldman as a teenager. During 1970 and 1971 his material was used to bolster "The Golddiggers," a summertime replacement show for the "Dean Martin Show"on NBC. Feldman's, often-silent film shorts rank up there with the funniest material I have ever seen. Although this particular show under consideration here(which actually appeared during the summer of 1972)was not quite as good as the bits seen on the "Golddiggers," it was still a scream.

Feldman finally achieved notoreity for American audiences for his end of 1974 film debut in the role of Igor opposite Gene Wilder's Dr. Frankenstein in Mel Brooks' classic "Young Frankenstein." Feldman went on to appear in and direct a few less-than-memorable films such as "The Remake of Beau Geste" and "In God We Trust." Unfortunately, he died of a heart attack while on location for the 1982 film "Yellowbeard."

With the proliferation of video out there, it's really very surprising that no one has to date put together any sort of video or Dvd collection of Feldman's comedy. If it does ever surface, do yourself a favor and get hold of it, sit back, and prepare to laugh your head off!