Firesign Theater on YouTube

[Andrew]

Peter sent me this link.  Good stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i43L26dXniE&mode=related&search
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[Shadow]

  I wonder what old serial that was taken from.

[peter johnson]

They list all the real serial titles at www.firesigntheatre.org
The original e-mail I got alerting me to the existence of these "Hot Shorts" clips listed the originals as well -- I'm surprised YouTube didn't post that info. somewhere as well --
This is just one of many, all posted by the same guy -- I'm sure he'd be able to tell you as well!!
If these tickle your fancy, try finding "J-Men Forever", which isn't a real Firesign project, as it's only by 2 of the 4 guys:  Phil Proctor and Peter Bergman, but it's the same format in a much longer/sustained project.
All the Firesign video material is worth seeking out -- "Nick Danger and The Case of The Missing Yolk" used to be a staple on the USA Network's "Up All Night" clip show back in the '80's --
peter johnson/denny the firesign fan

[Flangepart]

They list all the real serial titles at www.firesigntheatre.org
The original e-mail I got alerting me to the existence of these "Hot Shorts" clips listed the originals as well -- I'm surprised YouTube didn't post that info. somewhere as well --
This is just one of many, all posted by the same guy -- I'm sure he'd be able to tell you as well!!
If these tickle your fancy, try finding "J-Men Forever", which isn't a real Firesign project, as it's only by 2 of the 4 guys:  Phil Proctor and Peter Bergman, but it's the same format in a much longer/sustained project.
All the Firesign video material is worth seeking out -- "Nick Danger and The Case of The Missing Yolk" used to be a staple on the USA Network's "Up All Night" clip show back in the '80's --
peter johnson/denny the firesign fan

I have J-MEN FOREVER!
Man, i love this thing...yee hee hee!...
There is J-MEN FOEVER, and WHATS UP, TIGER LILY...two wonderful proofs, that ya don't have to take the sound track the studio gives ya! It can be improved!
" Hitler, he only had, one ball!..."
"Naughy, naughty, bad polluter, bring you down with my ray shooter!"
"Touch your head".
"Well, my friends call me speedo, but my real name is lightning-buuug..."

[Yaddo 42]

I remember Nick Danger.... from those "Night Flight" days, er......nights, er,............ mornings. That's the one with the "Booby Chew" spoof commercial, right? Good weird stuff for my young weird mind. Wonder what I'd think now.

I've tried real Firesign Theater material: a couple of albums and a "best of" special that ran on PBS several years ago. I just can't get into them for some reason, am I missing something? Do you need chemical assistance to get the full effect? Are they one of those "you just had to be there" phenomena? Has the material dated? The albums came off as people trying too hard to cram in as many jokes, and there was a certain "inside joke" quality to so much of it, like if you weren't already aware of the thing they were alluding to, you were out of luck.

The PBS special was the group performing well loved routines for an audience who were clearly die-hard fans. Not of the novice or newbie, but I did recognize a few lines and characters. Still left me flat.

Then again for all the scatological and absurd humor I like, I barely even chuckle at The Kids in the Hall.

[peter johnson]

The best thing to do is find the Columbia records on LP, and listen to them in order --
The first 4 records together form a single Play called "The Saga of P", loosely based on Franz Kafka's "Joseph K" --
If you only do know them from the PBS TV thing, etc., then yes, it IS difficult to follow them --
Try listening to "Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers" a few dozen times -- This one was recently inducted into the National Archives as one of the most seminal radio shows of all time, along with the Hindenburg disaster, etc.
The first 4 records, in sequence, are:
"Waiting For The Electrician, or Someone Like Him"
"How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere At All"
(The first Nick Danger bit is on this one)
"Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers"
"I Think We're All Bozos On This Bus"
* * *
They did about 2 dozen other records, but these first 4 sort of set the stage re. recurring characters, themes, ideas, etc.
Do go to the website:  www.firesigntheatre.com & cruise around a bit --
These people are true American Originals -- Yes, their work does take a bit of investment, time-wise, to fully appreciate, but the rewards are high high high --
much love
peter johnson

[Yaddo 42]

Don't Crush that Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers" is one of the albums I've heard. Found it on CD at the local used record shop about three years ago. I gave it about three listen through, it actually got more tedious each time.

Can't recall the other album, but a couple of the titles you mention ring bells. When I used to post at the Straight Dope Message Board there was a contingent of Firesign Theatre fans. Kind of interesting to see die-hard fans trading well loved lines and catchphrases that meant nothing to me. Like others watching Python, Newsradio, or Marx Bros. fans like me doing the same thing.

[peter johnson]

As a fan, I have one of the best "Dwarf" association/stories of all time --
I was working with Dick Van Dyke on an episode of "Diagnosis Murder", and we were chatting on the set about Firesign -- turns out he's a big fan too -- I asked Dick, "You know, one of my favorite films of yours is that movie you did with Rooney -- "The Comic" -- back in '66 or so.  Now, you die watching yourself on TV at 4am.  Now, "Dwarf" came out at about the same time -- Did you steal that from them?"  Well, Dick, for all his fandom, had never heard "Dwarf".
Also, at the same time, he was laying down tracks as the narrator of one of those Missing Christmas Cartoons ("Jeremy Creek:  The Town That Forgot Christmas") that Phil "Firesign" Proctor was doing the voice of Dad for.  Here were Proctor & Van Dyke, each fans of the other, working on the same project, but never meeting in person -- So I got to be a sort of "go between" for them, passing on messages, etc.
Anyway, I gave Dick my only cassette copy of "Dwarf".  He listened to it and next day on set said :"Oh, my God!  I think you're right!  I think we stole it from them!!", which, even if not true, is a great memory because Dick saying "Oh, my God!" is like Cary Grant saying "Judy, Judy, Judy" -- It distills all his vocal mannerisms into a single phrase.
Well, if you find them tedious, then you find them tedious, and I won't spend a lot of time trying to convert you.  I will say that there are transcripts of many of their plays in "The Firesign Theatre's Big Book of Plays" and "The Firsign Theatre's Big Mystery Joke Book", and sometmes reading along makes them more palatable.
If you like "The Goon Show", or Spike Milligan, the Firesign disc "The Pink Hotel Burns Down" has a great Milligan tribute/parody on it called "By the Light of The Silvery . . .", which you may find highly enjoyable.
peter johnson/denny crane

[Ash]

That clip was great!   

I added it to the Badmovies.org Myspace page.

Give us more!!   

[Yaddo 42]

Gave "Dwarf" another go last night, same reaction. It sounds like something I should like on paper (metaphor pre-mixed) but just doesn't work for me. Thanks for the "Pink Hotel" recommendation, may have to give it a shot, I consider myself a Milligan/Goons fan despite my limited exposure. Milligan made me laugh fromthe first time I saw his "Muppet Show" episode, found a copy of Puckoon in high school, and from the first second I heard clips of the Goons I was laughing, it was almost like the discovering Python for the first time (little wonder).

Great story concerning Dick Van Dyke, I've seen parts of The Comic and was aware of it's rep as an underappriecated gem. What I saw convinced me.
 
I'll just have to put it down to different strokes for different folks is all, for me and Firesign.

[peter johnson]

     Peter Bergman worked as Spike Milligan's secretary and go-fer for a 2 year period in the '60's -- Milligan was very aware of Firesign & there were always things on the back burner where they were planning to bring him on board -- Like Mel Brooks, another Goons fan, using Milligan in "Blazing Saddles" and "History of the World" -- but none of this ever came to fruition.
     Yes, do do do find "The Pink Hotel Burns Down", as you will IMMEDIATELY glom on to what they're doing on "By the Light of The Silvery . . .", with numerous nods to Seacombe and Sellers as well as the overweening invisible presence of Milligan.
     Proctor puts out an occasional Christmas tape of obscure comedy, and he used some of my Milligan boots for the one in '96.
     Thanks for the encouraging words, Ash the Cat -- you can just pull them directly off of YouTube -- they're all clustered together. 
     Sometimes I remind myself of that Onion article of a few years back that headlined:  "Frank Zappa Fan Convinced You Just Haven't Heard The Right Zappa Albumn" -- yeah, I'm that way with Firesign Theatre, especially for literate, erudite people.  I've always thought of them as Cheech and Chong for people who read books.
     Oh, well, I don't much care for bloody Italian zombie flicks either, which puts me in the minority here -- and I probably just haven't seen the RIGHT bloody Italian zombie flick!!
peter johnson/denny firehead

[Yaddo 42]

I recognize the "You haven't (seen, heard, read, etc) the right one" syndrome, I've been that guy before. I've done that to other people with Terry Pratchett books, "Firefly", spaghetti westerns, anime, Miles Davis (now I just tell them to try Kind of Blue and work forward or backward depending on their taste), and ,yes, Zappa as well. lastely I just loan them that Strictly Commercial "best of" CD, and say if they like nothing on there from any phase of his career, then they probably wouldn't like him since it has some of the most accessible material. I've toned it down in recent years, since I got sick of myself when in that mode.

On the other hand, I've gotten that treatment plenty of times from jam band fans (especially Deadheads) Stephen King and Left Behind readers, "Buffy" and "X-Files" watchers, and lately Seth McFarland fans.