Larry Storch

As a kid in the 1930s growing up in a tough New York neighborhood, kinetic wiseguy 'Larry Storch' (qv) took in the multi-ethnic flavor of his surroundings and started blurting out various accents as a juvenile to provoke laughs and earn attention. Little did he know that this early talent would take him on a six-decade journey as a prime actor and comedian.The 5'8" actor was born on January 8, 1923, in New York City, the son of a realtor and telephone operator. Although he attended DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, he never graduated, earning money as a stand-up comic. Larry's gift as an impressionist paid off early during those teen years in vaudeville houses. Following military duty during WWII as a seaman (1942-1946), a happenstance meeting with comedian 'Phil Harris' (qv) in Palm Springs led to an opening act gig at Ciro's for 'Lucille Ball' (qv)'s and 'Desi Arnaz' (qv)' show.Larry received his biggest break on radio with "The Kraft Music Hall" when he was asked to sub for an ailing 'Frank Morgan' (qv). He not only delivered his patented star impersonations, he did a devastating one of Morgan himself that went over famously.Moving to the small screen, a summer hosting replacement on the TV variety show _Cavalcade of Stars (1949)_ (qv) was followed by Larry's own variety series, The 'Larry Storch' (qv) Show (1953). In musical revues from the early 1950s with such showcases as "Red, Hot and Blue" and "Curtain Going Up," he also became a fixture on the nightclub circuit. He made a leap into legit acting with the musical "You Never Know" (1955) and comedies "The Tender Trap" (1956) and "Who Was that Lady I Saw You With?" (1958), in which he played a hyper Russian spy.A long-lasting friendship with 'Tony Curtis' (qv) that formulated during his Navy days paid off in spades. Curtis started finding work for his buddy in his films, beginning with an unbilled bit in the Universal costumer _The Prince Who Was a Thief (1951)_ (qv). When Larry's career was going through a noticeable lull in the early 1960s, Curtis again came to the rescue by giving him top supporting roles in some of his prime cinematic fluff--_Who Was That Lady? (1960)_ (qv) (in which he recreated his stage role), _40 Pounds of Trouble (1962)_ (qv), _Sex and the Single Girl (1964)_ (qv) and _Wild and Wonderful (1964)_ (qv).TV audiences soon started seeing his manic-looking mug regularly on episodic TV, including _The Phil Silvers Show (1955)_ (qv) and _Car 54, Where Are You? (1961)_ (qv). Larry's biggest claim to fame would come via his Emmy-nominated role as 'Forrest Tucker' (qv)'s loyal but not particularly bright sidekick Cpl. Randolph Agarn in the western comedy _F Troop (1965)_ (qv).While continuing to make an "impression" in nightclubs, Larry found a lucrative outlet in animation, too, giving vocal life to four decades' worth of cartoons, including the series _Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales (1963)_ (qv), _Underdog (1964)_ (qv), _The Pink Panther Show (1969)_ (qv) and _Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969)_ (qv). He also provided the voice of Koko the Clown in the syndicated cartoon show _Out of the Inkwell (1961)_ (qv).Beginning in the 1980s Storch made a comic resurgence of sorts under the theater lights with a healthy run opposite 'Jean Stapleton' (qv) and 'Marion Ross' (qv) in "Arsenic and Old Lace" from 1986-1988, and in the musicals "Oklahoma!" (1990) and "Annie Get Your Gun" (2000), the latter as Chief Sitting Bull. He also appeared with his friend Curtis again, this time in a musical stage version of Curtis' classic film _Some Like It Hot (1959)_ (qv).Larry went on to appear in typical oddball form in such low-budget films as _Airport 1975 (1974)_ (qv), _The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington (1977)_ (qv), _Record City (1977)_ (qv), _Without Warning (1980)_ (qv) (as a scoutmaster), _S.O.B. (1981)_ (qv) (as a guru), _Fake-Out (1982)_ (qv), _Sweet Sixteen (1983)_ (qv), _A Fine Mess (1986)_ (qv), _The Perils of P.K. (1986)_ (qv), _The Silence of the Hams (1994)_ (qv), _Funny Valentine (2005)_ (qv) and _Bittersweet Place (2005)_ (qv). TV guest appearances included "The Fall Guy," "Knight Rider," "Out of This World," "Married ... with Children," "Days of Our Lives," and his last, a 2010 appearance on "Medium Rare."He was married to actress 'Norma Storch' (qv) from 1961 until her death from cancer in 2003.::Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net