Ernie Kovacs

Ernie Kovacs (January 23, 1919 - January 13, 1962) was a creative and innovative entertainer from the early days of television. His on-air antics would go on to inspire TV shows like the Uncle Floyd Show, Saturday Night Live and TV hosts like David Letterman.

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Born in Trenton, New Jersey, Kovacs became a pioneer of television comedy as a distinct medium; earlier television comedians mostly continued comedy styles of vaudeville, film, or radio.

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His live shows were unique at the time because of their ad-libbed routines, experimentation with video effects (including superimpositions, reverse polarity, and reverse scanning which flipped images upside down), and a willingness to break the "fourth wall" by allowing viewers to see activity beyond the set - including crew members and, on occasion, outside the studio itself. He would also talk to the off-camera crew.

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January 23: January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 342 days remaining, 343 in leap years....

1919: 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar)....

January 13: January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. It is still celebrated as New Year's Eve by those on the Julian calendar. There are 352 days remaining (353 in a leap year)....

Ernie Kovacs related Images and Photos (experimental)

Ernie Kovacs Mid-1950s	Ernie Kovacs Late 1950s	Bell Book and Candle Kim Novak James Stewart Jack Lemmon Ernie Kovacs Hermione Gingold 1958	Ernie Banks - Batting Stance
Tennessee Ernie Ford	Bert & Ernie's Word Play (DVD)	Sesame Street: Bert & Ernie's Great Adventures (DVD)	Chicago Cub's Ernie Banks Stooping in the Dug-Out Holding Two Bats Against Cincinnati Reds
Sesame Street Talking Rockin' Numbers Ernie Plush