Henny Youngman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henny Youngman |
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Youngman, photographed in 1957
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| Born | 16 March 1906 London, England |
| Died | 24 February 1998 (aged 91) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Medium | Stand-up comedy |
| Nationality | American |
| Genres | One-liners |
| Spouse |
Sadie Cohen
(m. 1928; died 1987) |
| Children | 2 |
Henry "Henny" Youngman (born March 16, 1906 – died February 24, 1998) was a famous comedian and musician. He was known for his amazing "one-liners". A one-liner is a very short joke with a quick punchline. His most famous joke was: "Take my wife... please."
While many comedians told long stories, Henny Youngman told many short jokes very quickly. Sometimes, he would play the violin between jokes. His jokes were like simple cartoons. They went straight to the funny part without a long setup. People called him "the King of One-Liners." His shows were short, only 15 to 20 minutes, but packed with dozens of jokes.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Comedy
Henny Youngman was born in London, England, to a Jewish family. When he was a child, his family moved to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in New York City.
Before becoming a comedian, he worked at a print shop. There, he wrote funny "comedy cards" with one-line jokes. Another rising comedian, Milton Berle, saw his cards. Berle encouraged Youngman and they became good friends. Milton Berle once joked that Henny's violin playing was even funnier than his jokes!
A Career in Comedy
From Musician to Comedian
Henny Youngman started in show business as a musician. His family encouraged him to play the violin. He led a small jazz band called the Swanee Syncopaters. During their shows, Henny would often tell jokes.
One night, the main comedian at the club didn't show up. The owner asked Youngman to perform instead. He really enjoyed it! That night began his long career as a stand-up comedian. His friendly and funny style made audiences laugh for many years.
Breaking into Radio and Film
Henny first performed in clubs and secret bars called speakeasies. His big break came in 1937 on Kate Smith's radio show. His manager, Ted Collins, helped him get on the show. After that, he appeared on the radio many times.
In the 1940s, Youngman tried acting in movies. But he did not find much work in Hollywood. So, he went back to performing in nightclubs. He worked very often, sometimes doing 200 shows a year!
Henny's Work Ethic
Like many comedians, Henny Youngman saw his job as hard work. He believed it was important to get paid for his performances. He often advised other entertainers to "nem di gelt," which means "take the money" in Yiddish.
He once said in an interview, "I get on the plane. I go and do the job, grab the money and I come home." He always made sure to get paid for his work.
Reaching Millions with Jokes
In 1974, the New York Telephone Company started a "Dial-a-Joke" service. Over three million people called in one month to hear 30 seconds of Henny Youngman's jokes. This was the most calls ever for a comedian on the service!
Henny Youngman never stopped performing. He continued his act in places all over the world until his final days. Even when he became very famous, he was always kind and humble. He never refused to perform in a small club.
Famous Stories of His Performances
Many people have shared stories about Henny Youngman's love for performing. TV producer Mark Evanier told a story about Henny going to hotels. He would find a party, like a bar mitzvah, and offer to perform. He would negotiate a price, often in cash, and then do his act for them.
Film critic Roger Ebert shared a similar story. He saw Henny Youngman in an elevator. The elevator stopped at a wedding party. Youngman got off, found the father of the bride, and said, "I'm Henny Youngman. I'll do 10 minutes for $100."
Television and Movie Appearances
Youngman appeared on many TV shows. He was often on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. In 1955, he hosted his own TV show called The Henny and Rocky Show with boxer Rocky Graziano.
He also had small roles in several movies. These included Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood, History of the World, Part I, and Goodfellas. His last movie role was in Eyes Beyond Seeing (1995). In this film, he played a mental patient who claimed to be Henny Youngman.
His autobiography, a book about his own life, is called Take My Life, Please!
Personal Life and Family
Henny Youngman's wife, Sadie Cohen, was often the subject of his jokes. He would say things like, "My wife said to me, 'For our anniversary I want to go somewhere I've never been before.' I said, 'Try the kitchen!'" or "My wife's cooking is fit for a king. Here, King; here, King!"
But in real life, Henny and Sadie were very close. Sadie often traveled with him on his tours. They were married for 59 years. Sadie passed away in 1987 after a long illness. When she was sick, Henny even had a special care unit built in their bedroom. This was so she could stay home, as she was afraid of hospitals.
Henny explained how his most famous line, "Take my wife, please," came about. He took Sadie to a radio show and asked a stagehand to help her find a seat. The stagehand thought he was telling a joke! So, Henny started using the line many times after that.
Henny and Sadie had two children, Gary and Marilyn. Gary became a screenwriter and director. He worked in the film industry for many years.
Henny Youngman worked almost every day for over seventy years. He rarely took vacations. The only times he stopped working were for one week after his wife's death and during his final hospital stay.
Death
Henny Youngman got pneumonia and passed away on February 24, 1998. He was at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan. He died just three weeks before his 92nd birthday. He is buried next to his wife Sadie in the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Glendale, New York.
Filmography
- A Wave, a WAC and a Marine (1944) as O. Henry Brown
- You Can't Run Away from It (1956) as First Driver
- Nashville Rebel (1966) as Himself
- The Unkissed Bride (1966) as Himself
- The Gore Gore Girls (1972) as Marzdone Mobilie
- The Great Masquerade (1974) as Himself
- Death Brings Roses (1975)
- Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) as Manny Farber
- Silent Movie (1976) as Fly-in-Soup Man
- History of the World, Part I (1981) as Chemist in the Roman Empire
- Death Wish II (1982) as Himself
- The Comeback Trail (1982) as Himself
- National Lampoon's Movie Madness (1982) as Lawyer ("Municipalians")
- Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) as Himself (segment "Roast Your Loved One")
- Goodfellas (1990) as Himself
- Eyes Beyond Seeing (1995) as Mental Patient / Henny Youngman
See also
In Spanish: Henny Youngman para niños
