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Beyond Vaudeville

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1986 American TV series or program
Beyond Vaudeville
Left to right: Co-host David Greene, guest Fred Willard, host Rich Brown
GenreTalk/Variety
Directed bySteve Korn
StarringRich Brown as Frank Hope, David Greene, John Walsh as Joey the Monkey
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes75
Production
ProducerRich Brown
Production locationNew York City
Running time29 minutes
Original release
Release1986 (1986) –
1996 (1996)

Beyond Vaudeville is a New York City public-access television show that ran from 1986 to 1996. The talk/variety show features amateur talents and nostalgia-inducing celebrities housed within the confines of a crowded, Manhattan-based public access television station. The show was inspired by the likes of The Uncle Floyd Show, The Joe Franklin Show, and Andy Kaufman. The perpetually fidgety and nerdy Frank Hope (Rich Brown) is the host. His co-host is David Greene, a very tall man who is always angry. Greene seems to not want to be part of the show, dislikes Hope, and often looks away in disgust. Greene spoke in the earlier episodes but became more silent in later episodes. This would continue once the show became Oddville, MTV. After a usually awkward live reading of the opening credits, the show begins with host Hope showing various nostalgic or geek culture items he bought at stores or garage sales. This sometimes angers Greene and he reacts with violence toward Hope.

The guests on the show are a mix of various celebrity guests from yesteryear, or outside the mainstream, including the likes of Tiny Tim, Bobby "Boris" Pickett ("Monster Mash"), and Grandpa Al Lewis. Hope's earnest but awkward interviewing style, with Greene's total disinterest and perpetual annoyance, is part of the humor. The show also features amateur singers, dancers, comedians, and other local eccentrics, with the mix of guests, and their reactions to each other, also being part of the humor. Various puppets appear behind the seats of the guests while they are interviewed, sometimes attempting to annoy Greene. For many of the episodes, Joey the Dancing Monkey (John Walsh) would be called on to do a skit or dance toward the end of the show. Joey wears a chimpanzee mask, a long red robe, and oversized gloves. He always begins to annoy Greene which produces a fight, while the guests usually look on in either horror or bafflement.

In 1997, MTV brought the show to cable under the title Oddville, MTV, a fundamentally similar program with the addition of an announcer in Melissa Gabriel and a segment featuring a popular musical act that was played straight. In order to produce the oddness the cable access show was known for, guests and Joey the Monkey dance along to the music.

The show was a strong example of anti-humor due to the humor being produced by its sheer weirdness and many awkward moments. It is also credited with discovering Suzanne Muldowney aka The Underdog Lady, who would go on to be a popular guest on The Howard Stern Show.

Cast

  • Rich Brown as host Frank Hope
  • David Greene as himself
  • John Walsh as Joey the Dancing Monkey

Recurring guests

  • Lady Betty Aberlin (Mr. Rogers)
  • Izzy Fertel (singer)
  • Professional nose-whistler Jim Grosso
  • M. Vinson Hayes (Marilyn Monroe conspiracy expert)
  • Sci-fi expert Ronald Held
  • Sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb
  • Suzanne Muldowney (interpretive dancer)
  • Dee Nack the Female Elvis Impersonator
  • Red Lightning (singer)
  • Stryker (singer)
  • Arthur Tracy (singer)
  • Chairman Steve (poet)
  • Tiny Tim (musician)
  • Trayman (performs with trays)
  • Austin Velez (singer)
  • Neil Connie Wallace (comic)

Episodes

Extended content
Episode Number Date Recorded Guests Notable Information
1 December 9, 1986 Mason Reese, Underdog dancer Suzanne Muldowney, Kevin & His Friend Bub
2 March 2, 1987 Al Lewis, poet Gretchen Weiner, Kevin & His Friend Bub Significant for Al Lewis’ roast of co-host David Greene.
3 May 4, 1987 Omer Travers (broke into Yoko Ono's apartment), poet Chairman Steve, comedy team Book n Martino
4 July 8, 1987 Psychic Frederick Davies, singer-songwriter Stryker, Glenn & His Friend Flubb First appearance of Long Island singer and local celebrity Stryker, who featured in the Beyond Vaudeville live shows both before and after the show’s run, and later appeared on Oddville, MTV and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
5 July 22, 1987 Gretchen Weiner, Richard H. Roffman, Body by Bob, Kevin & His Friend Bub, Glenn & His Friend Flubb, Joey the Monkey First appearance of Joey the Monkey, who became a show regular and featured in every episode of Oddville, MTV, and of the puppets behind the couch.
6 October 6, 1987 Frank Nastasi (White Fang on The Soupy Sales Show), Austin Velez (guest co-host), UFO abductee Gertrude Adams, Cowboy Joe, Glenn & His Friend Flubb
7 January 12, 1988 Tuli Kupferberg of The Fugs, Chairman Steve, Kevin & His Friend Bub, Glenn & His Friend Flub, Joey the Monkey
8 February 25, 1988 Sammy Petrillo (Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla), former Burt Reynolds love interest Sen Tuna
9 May 9, 1988 Quentin Crisp, mother-daughter comedy team Coco & Penny, Konstantin Bokov
10 June 13, 1988 Joe Franklin errand boy Chris Deola, Kerima the bellydancer, Dr. Morris Woodley
11 July 19, 1988 Joyce Randolph with husband Richard Charles, comedian Jackie Jason Exit, Samson St. Clair as Joan Rivers
12 August 30, 1988 Arthur Tracy, actor Marshall Efron
13 October 4, 1988 Joe Franklin, artist Konstantin Bokov, elderly stripper Leola Harlow
14 November 22, 1988 Lisa Sliwa, singer/songwriter Stryker, poet Chairman Steve, Austin Velez
15 February 27, 1989 Entertainment journalist Michael Musto, actor Joe Fleishaker, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb Host Frank Hope walks off for several minutes in response to co-host David Greene’s outbursts, leading to awkward exchanges between David and Musto. Frank returns later.
16 April 18, 1989 Memory expert Harry Lorayne, Danny the Wonderpony, movie usher Martin Spund
17 May 23, 1989 Billy Dean’s Knockouts Boxing Fighting Revue Co-host David loses two boxing matches to Foxy Fighters Mariah and Mischa.
18 June 6, 1989 Phoebe Legere, a family of nudists, singer-songwriter Stryker, Underdog dancer Suzanne Muldowney The only episode in which Frank does not appear. David claims to have locked him in the closet of his apartment and is hosting the show with Stryker as nominal co-host. The set is stripped down to bare walls and David attempts to conduct the program his way, with "The good guest that I got, and then the typical Frank guests here."
19 July 8, 1989 Filk singer Roberta Rogow, Underdog dancer Suzanne Muldowney, singer Ada Love
20 August 18, 1989 Brother Theodore, Uncle Sam impersonator Joe Erdelyi, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb
21 September 23, 1989 Ed Herlihy, Lady Betty Aberlin (Mr. Rogers), singer Starlady, T-shirt maker Martin Forro
22 October 21, 1989 Joey Adams, Geoffrey Holder, Mr. Spoons
23 October 21, 1989 Barry Williams, Wavy Gravy, Sukhreet Gabel
24 November 18, 1989 Diver Dan, Rocky Horror Picture Show Fan Club president Sal Piro, nosewhistler Jim Grosso, comic Al Lawrence
25 December 6, 1989 Little Mike Anderson, musical saw player Moses Josiah, UFO expert
26 January 20, 1990 Professor Irwin Corey, Lady Betty Aberlin, female Elvis impersonator Dee Nack, driving instructor Bert Rapp, sci-fi collector Phil Depardo
27 February 17, 1990 Judy Carne, Page Morton Black, cryonicist Curtis Henderson, singer Al Boland
28 June 23, 1990 Taylor Mead, Ethyl Eichelberger, Baird Jones, Jack the Fire, Frank's Home Movies
29 July 28, 1990 Terry Sweeney, Flying Nun Fan Club president, Dracula dancer Suzanne Muldowney, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb
30 August 18, 1990 Marie Wallace, Dave Van Ronk, UFO expert Ellie Crystal, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb
31 September 17, 1990 Fred Willard, Underdog dancer Suzanne Muldowney, poet Wolf Pasmanik, comic Lou Baccala Cary First of two appearances by Fred Willard.
32 October 27, 1990 Austin Pendleton, Irene the Gong Show Queen of Long Island, singer Ada Love, Marie-Hélène Parent, Lady Betty Aberlin
33 December 1, 1990 Singer and musician John Wallowitch, singer Buddy Clayton
34 December 10, 1990 NYC News anchor Sue Simmons, musical saw player Moses Josiah, actress Martha Greenhouse, psychic Morris Fonte
35 January 26, 1991 Audrey Landers, David Peel, Alan Abel, Al Jolson impersonator Rich Curtis
36 February 20, 1991 Warner Wolf, Tiny Tim, The Chordettes, comic Dave West First appearance of Tiny Tim.
37 March 16, 1991 Shirley Stoler, Ron Fazio, singer Tommy Ritaco, Robert “Harmonica” Stevens, Pieman Aron Kay
38 April 20, 1991 Dan Lauria, Indian Elvis impersonator Nazar Sayegh, comedian Mildred Katz
39 June 8, 1991 Lew “Clarabell” Anderson, Little Mike Anderson, singer Regis Philbin Jr., sci-fi expert Ronald Held, pogo-stick record holder Ashrita Furman
40 June 25, 1991 Carel Struycken, singer Izzy Fertel, toy collectors Pat Bishow and Lance, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb First television appearance of Izzy Fertel, who became a semi-regular on the program and subsequently appeared on Oddville, MTV and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
41 July 20, 1991 Frank “Large” Dellarosa, World's Fastest Hot Dog Eater; poet Wolf Pasmanik; rapper Larry Love; sci-fi expert Ronald Held
42 July 30, 1991 Fred Willard, singer Izzy Fertel, singer Ada Love, belly dancer Kerima, rappers, comedian Dave West, nose-whistler Jim Grosso
43 August 17, 1991 Remo Pisani, singer Buddy Clayton, “midget comic” Ramon Pena Cartucho, Hawaiian singer Johnny Kai
44 September 21, 1991 Bobby “Boris” Pickett, pierced guy, sci-fi expert Ronald Held, Klingon League of Assault Warriors, singer Austin Velez
45 October 19, 1991 Tiny Tim, Benny Bell, tattoo experts Huggy Bear & Eek, Renaissance Man George Kayatta, Mr. Lucky & Stanley the Pig
46 November 9, 1991 Sammy Petrillo, sci-fi expert Ronald Held, comic Mikhail Bleyckman, bowling alley expert Bill Newman, horror expert John Link, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb
47 December 7, 1991 Christmas Special. John Wallowitch, Bill Gaines, Marilyn Monroe conspiracy expert M. Vinson Hayes, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb, The Public Access Choir One of the last interviews Gaines gave before he passed away in June 1992. The Public Access Choir was a group of hosts of other New York public access shows, who came on set and sang “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
48 January 11, 1992 Bern Nadette Stanis, comic Mikhail Bleyckman, filk singer Roberta Rogow, songwriter Stryker, Tiny Tim goes bowling
49 March 27, 1992 Joey Faye, sci-fi expert Ronald Held, actor Joe Fleishaker, Marilyn Monroe conspiracy expert M. Vinson Hayes
50 June 4, 1992 Pat Cooper, FDR Impersonator Ellsworth Barthen, Madonna impersonator Queerdonna, Trayman, Walt Paper
51 July 16, 1992 Arthur Tracy, sci-fi expert Steve Maurer, Ice Bears Rabbi Abraham Abraham, Marilyn Monroe conspiracy expert M. Vinson Hayes, Trayman
52 August 15, 1992 Underdog dancer Suzanne Muldowney, William Brown, singer Alan Chusid, Trayman
53 September 15, 1992 Alison Steele, Chauncey Howell, anchor Marvin Scott, William Brown, Bagpipe player, comic Dave West
54 October 17, 1992 Ron Palillo, William Brown, Trayman, Champ the Wonderdog, sci-fi expert Ronald Held
55 December 22, 1992 Barton Heyman, William Brown, movie collectors Mike Tower and Arthur Ritzer, dancer Jimmy Del Rio
56 February 27, 1993 Kitty Carlisle Hart, William Brown, Trayman, The Greater Gotham Gaylaxians, songwriter Stryker
57 July 6, 1993 Singing nun Sister Mary Beata Gerrity, Cuban singer Margarita Pracatan, artist Hoop, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb, Austin Velez
58 August 7, 1993 Virginia Graham, Sir Monti Rock III, artist Hoop, Frank Sinatra fan Bernice Perry, singer Tommy Ritaco
59 September 11, 1993 Kaye Ballard, Lara Jill Miller, William Brown, singer Red Lightning, comic Arthur of New York
60 November 20, 1993 Larry Storch, Banjo-Playing Priest George Swanson, nose-whistler Jim Grosso, Louise Grosso, Trayman, inventor Jack Marchand
61 December 18, 1993 Kim Hunter, Chauncey Howell, singer Margarita Pracatan, singer Red Lightning, angel expert Eileen Freeman
62 January 8, 1994 Actor Michael Berryman, married couple actress Katy Dierlam and artist Ned Sonntag, sci-fi expert John Link, sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb
63 March 7, 1994 Shirley Jones, Marty Ingels, Trayman, Red Lightning
64 April 13, 1994 Rick Derringer, comic Marty Gangursky, Three Stooges Fans Harold, Lucille, and Robert Gurau, Chinese opera singer Mr. Chen Tsun Kit, Austin Velez Rick Derringer's toddler daughter Mallory wanders onto the set and spends most of the show ambling around or sitting on Derringer's lap. David manages to sit through the entire program without a violent outburst.
65 July 16, 1994 Jimmy Breslin, poet Chairman Steve, Yankees fan Freddie Sez, Al Jolson singer Rich Curtis, actor Marty Gangursky, Kenneth Keith Kallenbach
66 October 29, 1994 Thanksgiving Special. Underdog dancer Suzanne Muldowney, Kenneth Keith Kallenbach, rapper/granny Fruity Nutcake, Marilyn Monroe conspiracy expert M. Vinson Hayes
67 March 25, 1995 Imogene Coca, poet Chairman Steve, “Quiz Show” legend Herb Stempel, singer Buddy Clayton, comic Neil Connie Wallace
68 April 29, 1995 Jack Riley, Pat McCormick, comic Neil Connie Wallace, raconteur Leonard Ben Meyer, Red Lightning
69 May 13, 1995 Tom Arnold, comic Neil Connie Wallace, Underdog dancer Suzanne Muldowney, raconteur Leonard Ben Meyer
70 July 11, 1995 Soleil Moon Frye, “The Singing Cowgirl from Queens” Lorraine Roof, Marilyn Monroe conspiracy theorist M. Vinson Hayes, comic Neil Connie Wallace
71 September 5, 1995 The Del Rubio Triplets, comic Neil Connie Wallace, comic cabbie Albert Mustakoff, Groom Tiny Tim, Bride Miss Sue
72 September 15, 1995 Johnny Whitaker, Billy Barty, raconteur Leonard Sragow, poet Chairman Steve
73 November 27, 1995 Singer Joey Marlowe, poet Bingo Gazingo, comic Neil Connie Wallace
74 December 13, 1995 Tiny Tim, Arthur Tracy, Izzy Fertel, poet Chairman Steve
75 May 25, 1996 Super Special KISS Tribute Spectacle Program Show. KISS Collector Bill Baker, poet Bingo Gazingo
76 July 1, 1996 Lady Betty Aberlin, Freddie Sez Schulman, Florence Miller Dancers, comic Neil Connie Wallace, Rich Curtis, Gaylord

Live Stage Shows

Extended content
Date Title Venue Host Guests
March 20, 1982 Beyond Vaudeville NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium Hugh Fink and the Hugh Fink Orchestra David Greene as “Thomas Paine,” Stryker, Rescue #1, Cinti Laird, Dean Zerbe, A/K/A, Ben Brody (13-year-old comic), Ed Rollin, Rob Harari, Herd Cooper, Joseph Erdelyi as Uncle Sam, Vault, Nancy Heller, Andy Friedman
April 6, 1983 Beyond Vaudeville II NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium Mary Samford (street singer), Lizalotta Valeska (Miss Finland 1930), Irv Bruder, philosopher Joseph Feldman, Stryker, David Greene as “Thomas Paine”, Bert Bedell, Irene & John Weidenberner
March 30, 1984 Beyond Vaudeville III NYU Pub Frank Moshman Stryker, ventriloquist Anthony Thomas, Max Sofsky, Joseph Erdelyi, Jr. as Uncle Sam, Gerry Schwartz, David Greene as “Thomas Paine,” Bert Bedell, Irene Weidenberner, and “A Debate on the Existence of God” by Joseph Feldman and Robert Sharf
April 18, 1985 Beyond Vaudeville IV Speakeasy NYC Mason Reese Stryker, Patsy Margolin, Lance Venture, Mildred Budwal, Delta Blues, David Greene as “Thomas Paine,” Bert Bedell, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Michael Kaufman, Billy Jacket, Irene & John Weidenberner, philosopher Mr. Feldman
April 30, 1986 Beyond Vaudeville V NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium Danny Bonaduce Stryker, Suzanne Muldowney as Underdog, Joseph Erdelyi, Jr. as Uncle Sam, Gretchen Weiner, Bert Bedell, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, poet Chairman Steve, Irene & John Weidenberner, Omer Travers, Lance Venture, David Greene as “Thomas Paine,” philosopher Mr. Feldman
April 20, 1987 Beyond Vaudeville Live NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium Al Lewis Mother-daughter comedy team Coco & Penny, John & Irene Weidenberner, Gretchen Weiner, Stryker, poet Chairman Steve, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Dr. Lawrence Biris, Omer Travers, philosopher Mr. Feldman, comedy team Book N Martino, Suzanne Muldowney as Vlad the Impaler, David Greene as “Thomas Paine”
April 15, 1988 Beyond Vaudeville Live NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium Adam West Suzanne Muldowney as Supergirl, Stryker, philosopher Mr. Feldman, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, David Greene as "Thomas Paine," John & Irene Weidenberner, Kerima the Bellydancer, Tuli Kupferberg, Gretchen Weiner, Sammy Petrillo, Bert Bedell, Wally Haughey, Coco & Penny, Chairman Steve the Poet Laureate of Greenwich Village, Konstantin Bokov
April 11, 1989 Beyond Vaudeville Live NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium Sukhreet Gabel Stryker, Kerima the Bellydancer, David Greene as "Thomas Paine," Ada Love, Danny the Wonderpony, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Suzanne Muldowney as Underdog, mother-daughter comedy team Coco & Penny, poet Chairman Steve, philosopher Mr. Feldman
April 19, 1990 Beyond Vaudeville Live NYU Eisner & Lubin Auditorium Peter Tork & Quentin Crisp Stryker, Kerima the Bellydancer, David Greene as "Thomas Paine," Michael J. Anderson, Danny the Wonderpony, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Suzanne Muldowney as Underdog, Professional Nosewhistler Jim Grosso, philosopher Mr. Feldman
May 6, 1991 Beyond Vaudeville Live Stand Up New York Little Mike Anderson Stryker, Kerima the Bellydancer, David Greene as "Thomas Paine," Moses Josiah & His Musical Saw, Suzanne Muldowney as Underdog, Wolf Pasmanik, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Joey the Monkey, Danny the Wonderpony, Professional Nosewhistler Jim Grosso, Irene Weidenberner
May 11, 1992 Beyond Vaudeville Live Carolines on Broadway Ron Palillo Stryker, Moses Josiah & His Musical Saw, David Greene as “Thomas Paine,” Suzanne Muldowney as Underdog, Izzy Fertel, Joey the Monkey, Danny the Wonderpony, Little Mike Anderson, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Professional Nosewhistler Jim Grosso, poet Chairman Steve
April 26, 1993 Beyond Vaudeville Live Carolines on Broadway Barbara Feldon Stryker, Suzanne Muldowney as Catwoman, Moses Josiah & His Musical Saw, Trayman, Jimmy Del Rio, Izzy Fertel, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Benny Bell, Professional Nosewhistler Jim Grosso, Queerdonna
October 28, 1993 Beyond Vaudeville Live Carolines on Broadway Pat Cooper Suzanne Muldowney as Spectrum the Ghost King, Red Lightning, Professional Nosewhistler Jim Grosso, Jimmy Del Rio, Stryker, Filksinger Roberta Rogow, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Moses Josiah and his Musical Saw, Joey the Monkey, Benny Bell, Trayman, Izzy Fertel and Tiny Tim
December 5, 1994 Beyond Vaudeville Live Carolines on Broadway Carol Shaya Red Lightning, Professional Nosewhistler Jim Grosso, banjo playing priest George Swanson, Suzanne Muldowney, granny rapper Fruity Nutcake, Stryker, Joey the Monkey, Irene Weidenberner, Kenneth Keith Kallenbach, opera singer Chen Tsun Kit, Margarita Pracatan, Dee Nack the Female Elvis, Moses Josiah and his Musical Saw
April 22, 2017 Beyond Vaudeville Live PhilaMOCA Frank Hope & David Greene Suzanne Muldowney as Underdog, strongman Stanley "Stanless Steel" Pleskun, singer-songwriter Milo Turk (While listed in credits as "BEYOND VAUDEVILLE Episode 75," this was a live stage show recorded in front of a live audience at Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art.)

References

  1. HUFF, RICHARD. "'BEYOND VAUDEVILLE' GAINS ACCESS TO MTV". nydailynews.com.
  2. James, Caryn (June 19, 1997). "Beyond Goofy, the Tricks Are Just for Laughs (Published 1997)" – via NYTimes.com.
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