Lord Buckley

Lord Buckley, or Richard Myrle Buckley, (April 5, 1906 - November 12, 1960) was an eccentric, joyous American monologist.

Related Topics:
April 5 - 1906 - November 12 - 1960 - American - Monologist

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Buckley was an anthrophage, adopting for his hipsemantic persona the lingo of poor black Southerners, jazzy beatniks, and English aristocracy. He dressed exuberantly and sported a mustache in the style of Salvador Dalí. None of this was an act, because by all accounts he stayed in character off stage, "holding court" at his home (frequently in the nude) and dubbing all his friends and family with noble titles. His personal philosophy was one of love and respect for his fellow man, consistently reflected in his elaborate references to Christian brotherhood.

Related Topics:
English - Salvador Dalí

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Beginning his show business career running dance marathons in the 1930s and vaudeville shows in the 1940s, during the 1950s Buckley was cast as a comedian, one of America's top hipsters, a "way-out" "swinger" enjoying cult status and respect from those who were exposed to his work. After his sudden death in 1960 (often reported to be related to the seizure of his New York City Cabaret Card and subsequent career troubles), his legacy has continued to slowly spread.

Related Topics:
Show business - 1930 - 1940 - 1950 - Comedian - America's - 1960 - New York City Cabaret Card

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Occasionally performing to music and singing, he frequently punctuated his monologues with nonlinguistic vocal sounds. Most Buckley recordings are solo tours de force on themes of real gravity. His most enduring tracks are his retellings of historical or legendary events, most fictionalized to a certain degree, imbued with his scandalous and high-brow humor. Notable among these are the stories of Jesus (The Nazz), Gandhi (The Hip Gan), the Marquis de Sade (The Bad-Rapping of the Marquis de Sade, the King of Bad Cats), among others. He also retold several classic documents such as a (relatively sober) Gettysburg Address and an (appropriately psychedelic) The Raven. In Marc Antony's Funeral Oration, he recast Shakespeare's "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears" as "Hipsters, flipsters and finger-poppin' daddies: knock me your lobes".

Related Topics:
Jesus - Gandhi - Marquis de Sade - Gettysburg Address - The Raven - Marc Antony - Shakespeare

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As a bon vivant of the jazz subculture, Buckley very much enjoyed smoking marijuana. He was given to drink to excess, then subsequently repent and abstain for a time. He wrote reports of his first experiences with LSD, under the supervision of Dr. Oscar Janiger; and his trip in an Air Force jet. Throughout his life he maintained an almost unnerving dignity, even while receiving visitors in the nude, as he was wont to do. He was a notoriously bad manager of money, constantly in debt, and died owing $300,000 to Ed Sullivan (who reflected "...he was impractical as many of his profession are, but the vivid Buckley will long be remembered by all of us.").

Related Topics:
Marijuana - Drink - LSD - Dr. Oscar Janiger - Air Force - Ed Sullivan

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Among Buckley's fans were The Beatles; when George Harrison visited California in the 1970s, he met Buckley's former manager George Greif, who was living in Buckley's old house (dubbed Crackerbox Palace), and invited Harrison to visit. Harrison was inspired by the experience to write a song, and "Crackerbox Palace" (which also became the nickname of his own home, Friar Park), became a Top 20 hit during 1977.

Related Topics:
The Beatles - George Harrison - 1970s - Friar Park - 1977

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Oliver Trager has written a biography of Lord Buckley, titled "Dig Infinity!".

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