Comedian Shecky Greene has sadly passed away at the age of 97. The comedian died earlier today of natural causes at his Las Vegas home.
While some comedy fans might not be too familiar with him today, Shecky Greene was a mainstay in comedy for over six decades. Born and raised in Chicago, Greene got his start in mob-run nightclubs. He followed this up with legendary appearances on talk shows, such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, The Ed Sullivan Show, and more.
Shecky Greene & the legacy he leaves behind.
As a performer, Greene is perhaps most identified with his Las Vegas performances, where he was a staple for many years, starting in the 1950’s. He was one of the first comedians to truly make a name for themselves in Las Vegas. In fact, there was no room for him in the main showroom, so they built a separate section just for him in the lounge. Because of this, he’s regarded as one of the great Vegas comics, who helped pave the way for other staples like Don Rickles that would play the lounges after him.
As much as he’s famous for his act, he's also well known for stories about his sometimes erratic behavior. Perhaps the best known Shecky Greene anecdote is the story of how he crashed his car into the fountain at Caesar’s Palace. When the police approached him, he said “What? No spray wax?”
Check out some clips from Greene’s career below.
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