Word: paars
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Gradually a corporal's guard of regulars formed, including gifted Pianist Jose Melis, suave Announcer Hugh Downs and Singer Betty Johnson, who all served as Paar's foils. The regulars became as familiar as comic-strip characters. Leading characters at present : Genevieve, French singer with a haphazard haircut and accent to match, and an oldtime comedian named Cliff Arquette, with drooping pants and rustic repartee. Despite her sophisticated air, it is naively charming Genevieve who represents innocence on the show and Cliff, despite his cornball appearance, whose trigger-quick ad libs speak for sophistication. But the biggest character...
...Paar claims that he is just being himself on the show, and to a very large extent he is. Unlike an actor, he cannot take refuge behind a script or a false beard; he must convince the audience that he is exposing his true face. The result is that the traits of the "real" Paar are very like those of the TV Paar-the difference being that off screen they loom much bigger. Says he: "It is not true that my personality is split. It is filleted. On the air all I do is hold back. If I gave...
This feeling of being hunted may be explained by past failures, by the very real back-stabbing that goes on in show business, and by the pressure of Paar's schedule-for in his life, almost every night is opening night. Each show is preceded by a private warmup, ranging from gnawing anxiety to panic. During the hours of preparation-which must end in laughter or failure-Paar is probably doing his hardest work. At noon on a recent, typical pre-show day, Jack was prowling his barn-red twelve-room house in suburban Bronxville, N.Y. His breakfast...
...Talent Scout Tom O'Malley calls to announce that old Prizefighter-Clown Maxie Rosenbloom will be available for the night's show. "Tell Rosenbloom to be himself," Jack warns. "No prepared jokes." The warning is hardly necessary. Responsible for signing most of the guests on Paar's show, O'Malley is well aware of the rules of the game. Forbidden are "Lindy" comedians-the brash, Berle-type gagsters given to dialect jokes and continuous excitement. Says Paar: "I'm not interested in comedians named Joey or Jackie-no rock 'n' roll, no jazz...
...Miriam Paar, Jack's pretty and patient wife, appears at poolside with a dinner tray-brook trout, corn on the cob, string beans, mixed green salad. Jack tops it off with a chocolate sundae garnished with whipped cream and peanuts...