Notes

Ernie Kovacs: Television's Master Of Visual Development And Comic Surrealism
Ernie Kovacs was television's most original image innovator and unique comic genius, which made us view the world in a different way. He was a true creative pioneer, who developed his unique secret if the medium has been just in the infancy.

The images that Kovacs conjured on the way, have acquired an enormous influence on a variety of tv shows, as well as particular person performers and writers who followed. These types of included: "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, very well "Monty Python's Traveling Circus, " plus "Saturday Night Live, " to name just a several. In addition , performers plus writers, such seeing that Steve Allen, Ashton Carson, David Letterman, Chevy Chase, in addition to Mel Brooks, almost all owe a great deal in order to this inspiring and even creative free soul.

In 1986, the particular Museum of Television and Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) shown an exhibit of Kovacs's work, called "The Vision of Ernie Kovacs. inch Within the Museum's guide for that show, the particular Pulitzer Prize winning television critic, William Henry III composed:

"Kovacs was a lot more than another wide-eyed, self-ingratiating clown. Having been television's first significant video artist. He was its first surrealist... its most exciting and imaginative author. He was television's first and possibly only auteur, and even he was the genius... Kovacs's wizard lay in typically the realm of skill. There, a genius is someone who else causes an market to look in the globe in some sort of new way. "

MEETING ERNIE KOVACS

In 1953, We first encountered Ernie Kovacs after i was 13 years old. Ernie's early morning tv program, "Kovacs Unlimited, very well was being shown on network television in New You are able to City on WCBS (channel 2). It absolutely was on this display which i first found a lot of the visual look gags, surreal confusion and characters that became an fundamental part of his astonishing and initial vision. But while a 12-year-old child, I just thought typically the show was very exciting, lots associated with fun and fantastic!

As an serious fan of the particular show, I, instantly, joined Ernie's Early on Eyeball Fraternity plus Marching Society (EEFMS) and, officially, grew to be an EEFMS participant. For years, We proudly carried my personal EEFMS membership cards around in my wallet, and whenever called upon, would certainly sing the EEFMS song, while saluting (left index hand extended, and kept over left closed eye):

"Hail in order to thee, oh EEFMS members, thee thus brave and solid,
Through hot Julys and cold Decembers, sing our EEFMS song.
EEFMS, oh yea EEFMS, EEFMS, oh yea EEFMS,
We claim this now along with no misgiving,
In case you're not EEFMS, you're not residing! "

Then on one spring day in 1953, my good friend Arnie Eastman and i also decided to "crash" Ernie Kovacs's studio at WCBS. Informed with our EEFMS membership cards, and the password: "It's been real!, very well we worked our own way past the downstairs entrance shield and arrived, simply by elevator, at his studio floor. Following we knocked on Kovacs's studio door, we were greeted by a member of his employees, who told people to go away. But our friend, Arnie, that was very continual continued to ask this staff participant to let us inside. Suddenly, we noticed a voice through within the studio: "what's the situation, Andy? " Then Ernie Kovacs came to the particular door, and after we explained that we were big fans, and EEFMS members, he asked us in the facilities, and seated us in two director's chairs, right inside of front of typically the set! (wow! )

The set had been comprised of a long table pitched by using an angle, with typically the television camera bolted towards the floor with the same viewpoint. So when we viewed the television set monitor, the dining room table appeared to end up being in the normal lateral position, not upon an angle.

Next, one of Kovacs's characters came out there for the set holding his lunchbox, plus sat down from the tilted desk. At the opposite end of the bench sat another people reading his newspaper. Then each period the man with the lunchbox took a specific thing out of his lunchbox and tried to put it upon the table, it would either go or roll straight down the table in to the lap of the particular man reading his newspaper. The climax of this sight gag came if the man with the lunchbox took out and about his thermos jar, and attempted to be able to pour some milk into his goblet (which have been in the past secured for the tabletop before the sketch began). The steady stream of milk transferred at an outrageous angle, nearly seite an seite towards the tabletop, entirely missing the cup!

It absolutely was this vintage sight gag stop, and numerous other surreal effects, that amazed and delighted tv set audiences, and, in the end, became a component of his famous visual effects terminology.

After we stayed about the same rehearsal associated with the show, Ernie Kovacs invited Arnie and me to be able to join him intended for lunch! During lunch time he regaled people with delightful anecdotes, as Arnie and I sat there making ends meet his every phrase. Then after lunch, he asked people if we would likely like to notice his office! instructions Arnie and My partner and i could hardly believe the fortune, here all of us were, two mysterious 12-year-old kids which Mr. Kovacs got never met just before, and yet we were spending the time with Ernie Kovacs! (WOW! )

So after lunch, he or she took Arnie and me over in order to his office on West 57th Streets, and he put in the afternoon around, telling us amazing stories, and showing us around their suite of offices. - Our beloved memory of the particular day was seeing the wild and wonderful collection associated with tribal artifacts, which usually Ernie had hanging and standing all around his exclusive office - plus the coolest thing of all had been the border-cornice regarding shrunken heads around the entire room!

THE EARLY YRS and FINDING THE PLACE

Ernest Edward cullen Kovacs was developed on January 23rd, 1919 in Trenton, Fresh Jersey. He passed away in an automobile accident, just before the 43rd birthday, upon January 13th, 62.

Ernie Kovacs' daddy, Andrew, emigrated in order to the United Claims from Hungary at the age regarding 13. After doing work at several work opportunities, unsuccessfully, during Forbidance Andrew became a new very successful bootlegger, which enabled your pet to move the wife, Mary and their sons, Tom and Ernie, into some sort of 20 room estate, in the fashionable segment of Trenton. Although with the exception of this period of time during Prohibition, typically the family continued to be able to live in very humble surroundings.

Ernie's interest in theater started in high school graduation. With Trenton Central Superior School, Ernie came under the influence involving his great mentor, drama teacher, Harold Van Kirk. Ernie received a scholarship or grant to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1937, using the assistance regarding Mr. Van Kirk. While working inside of Vermont in summer season stock in 1939, Ernie became critically ill with pneumonia and pleurisy, and even spent another yr and a 50 percent in very critical condition in a number of hospitals.

It was during this period that their comedic talent started out to show, as he enthralled the particular nurses, doctors in addition to patients with their antics. (The general practitioners failed to think of which he would live). In addition, while in the medical center, Ernie developed a lifelong love and even appreciation of classical music, and he or she kept his radio constantly tuned to WQXR, the common music station, inside of New York City. In years to come, Kovacs would frequently employ classical music in numerous of his sketches.

In 1941, Ernie found his initial paid job inside of entertainment work while a disc jockey, at Trenton's WTTM radio. He put in the following nine yrs with WTTM, becoming the station's Director of Special Occasions. During this time period, Kovacs experimented using a variety of "live" zany situations, for example seeing what it can be like to be stepped on by a teach (leaving the songs with the last second), to broadcasting coming from the cockpit of an airplane (for which he got flying lessons).

During this time period, Ernie was also linked to an area theater group, typically the Trenton Players Guild, in early 1941, doing some directing for that group. Inside of June, 1945, the Trentonian, a regional weekly newspaper, provided Kovacs a line, which he known as "Kovacs Unlimited, " in which he or she found his tone as the community wag.

Ernie hitched his first wife, Betty Wilcox, upon August 13, 1945. They had two little ones together, Elisabeth (Bette) and Kip Raleigh (Kippie). The marital life was an unsatisfied one, and they ultimately divorced on March 11, 1954. When the marriage ended, Ernie was awarded entire custody of their particular two daughters, based on the court's decision that his former wife seemed to be mentally unstable. In this same year Ernie married Edith (Edie) Adams on September 12, 1954.

Inside 1950, Kovacs experienced his first possibility to break into television. He showed up at his season casting at NBC's Philadelphia affiliate, WPTZ (now KYW-TV) within a clip or barrel and shorts, in addition to got the task! Ernie's first project was a show known as "Pick Your Best, " a style and promotional display for the Ideal Manufacturing Company. Before long, he was furthermore the host involving "Deadline For Evening meal, " which has been some sort of show where neighborhood chefs shared food preparation tips and tricks. One night typically the guest chef performed not show way up, so Ernie was called into actions to ad-lib at the 11th hour or so, and improvised the own recipe with regard to Eggs Scavok (Kovacs spelled backwards).

Soon after, Ernie hosted plus, ultimately, created a special format for the particular groundbreaking show, "Three To obtain Ready"(TTGR). This particular was the initial frequently scheduled early morning demonstrate (7 to 9 AM) inside a key TV market. Earlier to this, it absolutely was assumed that nobody would watch TELEVISION SET at such an early hour. Though the show has been billed as early morning news and weather conditions, Ernie provided this kind of, along with their own zany plus original approach. If rain is at the particular weather forecast, Kovacs would stand on a high platform, plus sprinkle water above the person reporting the next thunderstorm forecast. On one particular occasion goats had been auditioned for some sort of local theater efficiency.

It was for the TTGR show that will Ernie began to develop his ad-libbed, experimental style of which would become his / her reputation. Among the many innovations earlier on, Kovacs authorized the so-called fourth wall to be breached, going beyond typically the boundaries in the present set to uncover the behind-the-scenes activity, at once stunning and fascinating the looking at audience, who acquired never seen something like this before, as he gone from interacting with the TV digicam crew, to having a tour of the control room, and chatting with the experts. And then sometimes they went outside associated with the studio. He or she once, spontaneously, chosen to wear a gorilla costume, and ran through a downtown Philadelphia restaurant.

If Ernie could no longer tolerate the scant prop spending budget of $15 a week for the show, he solved the situation by wondering his TV viewers to deliver anything that will they no longer needed, to channel 3, WPTZ. On that will same day, the entire studio lobby was full regarding all the thrown away stuff that his / her viewers had dispatched!

It was on this show that will Kovacs found their milieu. Ironically, the failure from the very rated show, "Kovacs on the Spot, " contributed in order to finding his spot. He was gradually discovering that their true milieu was your television studio space, unencumbered by pretty street sets, with crooked barber shop polls (the establishing for "Kovacs around the Corner, " where there were too many creative collaborators). In the undecorated studio, he could give no cost rein for the circulation of ideas, different surreal mixtures of the commonplace as well as the unusual, which only he could picture - he had to be found in control.

As very much as Ernie wanted to be in control of "the eyesight, " he counted heavily on his savvy crew, comprised of their special effects technicians, set designers, music staff, cameramen, soundmen and others, several of whom acquired worked with him or her since the start, and knew his moods, idiosyncrasies in addition to rhythms so properly, that they could anticipate and improvise at a moment's notice - sometimes inspiring, or even saving a draw that was in trouble.

The process of creating new indicates with an special approach and first material, working using minimal scripts and very little rehearsal time, in the "live" television format associated with that period (there was no videotape, therefore you were performing with no net), was often a daunting prospect. By their very characteristics, the shows had been experimental. Ernie set no limits for himself, constantly improvising and taking possibilities. Sometimes get more info were brilliant in addition to very funny, including other times these people were just vano and boring. By Ernie's perspective everything was fun - success or malfunction - he had been just a huge kid, and the particular crew were their playmates.

But within the conventional regarding television producers, and even unsophisticated audiences, in which high ratings were the badge of success, Ernie Kovacs was swimming contrary to the tide, which has been inevitable for such an innovative experienced.

Throughout his television career Ernie Kovacs always had a great cult following regarding avid viewers, and received constant reward from the experts. However ironically, in addition to perhaps, due to their inventive and fresh style, he was never ever able to consistently sustain the curiosity with the larger tv audience, who got been conditioned simply by conventional sitcoms and even vaudeville style selection shows.

CHARACTERS and SIGHT GAGS

Because the incorrigible prankster, Kovacs also encouraged his crew to adhere to suit and improvise, and take possibilities. So on no less than one occasion, the folks turned the furniture on Ernie. In that day, Kovacs appeared as the particular inept magician, Matzoh Hepplewhite. The sketch required Hepplewhite in order to hit a tantán frequently. It was the signal for a sexy female assistant to be able to appear with the tray with some sort of bottle of liquor and a shot glass. Ernie (Hepplewhite) was supposed to have a snort, which in turn was said to be green tea. But the stagehands substituted real liquor instead of typically the tea. When Ernie took the snort of liquor, the expression on his face was precious: realizing, of course, that every time frame he rang the particular gong he might need to drink one other shot of true liquor! Since that was"live"television he previously to be able to continue on with the sketch. So in late the show, Ernie staggered off typically the set completely inebriated.

As being the madcap performer which he was, Ernie enjoyed a variety of roles, many of which became recurring character types. These included the silent Chaplinesque, Eugene, who was the smoothness who poured milk from his thermos bottle that never ever reached the cup on that bent table. Ernie seemed to be one of typically the three derby-hatted apes, known as the particular Nairobi Trio, who else performed their mechanical antics to the tune of Robert Maxwell's "Solfeggio. very well They were regulars on the early morning show, "Kovacs Unlimited. "

1 of my preferred characters was the particular effete poet laureate, Percy Dovetonsils, also portrayed by Kovacs, who spoke with a lisp, and quite often recited poetry, among sips of his / her dry martini (once a stagehand slipped a goldfish into his glass, as he was proceeding on "live, " on the air).

In addition to be able to the many heroes that Ernie portrayed, there were many elaborate sight gags he would conduct that, often, just lasted a few seconds. One of my favorites is an marine stunt, with Ernie playing himself, like the inveterate stogie smoker. Within the drawing, Ernie is really under the sea, sitting in his / her easy chair with a cigar in his / her mouth, reading his / her newspaper. He after that removes the stogie from his mouth and exhales the puff of white colored smoke! (The technique is that the particular "smoke" was truly a small sum of milk, which often he filled their mouth with before going underwater).

KOVACS'S VISION and TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION

In the leader days when tv set was at its beginnings - early nineteen forties into the 1950s - radio was continue to the reigning method. As an end result, the thinking regarding television being a medium, was very typical. Directors of television productions would just use effects, these kinds of as cuts or perhaps fades or dissolves, similar to the techniques frequently used inside the movies in that time. A lot more sophisticated visual methods that were available, for instance super imp?t (one image by one TV digicam placed over the further image from an additional TV camera) had been rarely used except in the almost all conventional way. Similarly, reverse polarity (throw a switch and turn positives into negatives), and reverse scanning (where images could be flipped upside down) were not utilized because early television generally stuck to realism. Most tv set productions at that will time resembled filmed theater or vaudeville. Directors would simply set up a new stationary TV digital camera enabling it manage.

Inside the ongoing debate of Ernie Kovacs's unique kind of image comedy, much offers been made associated with the technical wizardry involved, as well as the reality that he was in front of his time. It truly is true that will Kovacs was mesmerized using these new electronic digital toys that experienced never been used before. He and even his crew freely experimented with the technology, and realized that these techniques provided great possibilities. However what was most important was figuring out what they would be used for. And so the technology enjoyed a part, however the process always started, first, with Ernie visualizing a certain scene in his mind. In line with the author, Mike Marmer, which eventually worked intended for Kovacs:

"Ernie definitely saw pictures more than anything otherwise. I can't say for sure in which they originate from, or even why - they will were just weird - but typically the point is, gowns what he read. He saw the particular shock of anything. "

So for example: let's imagine that will Ernie recently had a thought for a draw. He first saw a picture of the man (character) that sees an indication that says: "fly man wanted. " Then, Ernie observed a picture of the man walking upside down into the facilities. Finally, the technological innovation followed: by making use of the reverse scan function, the photo in the man is certainly flipped upside straight down, and "the vision" was complete.

FINALLY - RECOGNITION

Reputation of Ernie Kovacs's artistic achievements offers been woefully gradual in coming. It absolutely was not until almost 25 years following his death, of which he began to acquire the recognition which he deserved.

As My partner and i mentioned in higher detail at typically the beginning of this specific article, in year 1986, typically the Museum of Television set and Radio (now the Paley Center for Media) mounted a four-months long series "The Perspective of Ernie Kovacs, " which showcased the diversity regarding his work. Inside 1987, Ernie Kovacs was inducted directly into the Academy regarding Television Arts and Sciences's Hall involving Fame. In 1989, on the event of television's 50th anniversary, in some sort of special issue of New York Magazine, Ernie Kovacs was initially named one of many medium's top 25 actors of all period.

Within the closing comments in her great book, "Kovacsland: some sort of Biography of Ernie Kovacs, " Diana Rico wrote:

"The recognition is well-earned and long delinquent. In the lifetime, inspite of a loyal concurrent of fans in addition to a supportive crucial establishment, Ernie's insistence on swimming in opposition to the mainstream tide prevented him coming from achieving the great prime time scores which can be regarded as the badge regarding success in network TV. However the same qualities that kept him from reaching the substantial numbers were exactly what made him an unique talent -the continually curious intellect, his passion of experimentation, the boundless imagination, the subversive and unreal wit. Ernie Kovacs loved nothing even more than to produce his bizarre visions for the world to relish. We are fortunate that for a new dozen years in the beginning involving the most important medium of our own time, having been in a position to do merely that. "

"Ernie Kovacs: Television's Leader Of Visual Creativity And Comic Surrealism"

By Frederick W. Fox, Jr.
My Website: http://www.linkagogo.com/go/To?url=114106908