Borscht Belt - Comedic Legacy

Comedic Legacy

The tradition of Borscht Belt entertainment started in the early 20th century with the indoor and outdoor theaters constructed on a 40 acre (16-hectare) tract in Hunter, New York, by Yiddish theater star Boris Thomashefsky.

Comedians who got their start or regularly performed in Borscht Belt resorts include:

• Joey Adams
• Marty Allen
• Woody Allen
• Morey Amsterdam
• Bea Arthur
• Benny Bell
• Jack Benny
• Gertrude Berg
• Milton Berle
• Shelley Berman
• Al Bernie
• Joey Bishop
• Mel Blanc
• Fanny Brice
• Mel Brooks
• Lenny Bruce
• George Burns and Gracie Allen
• Pesach Burstein
• Red Buttons
• Sid Caesar
• Eddie Cantor
• Jean Carroll
• Jack Carter
• Myron Cohen
• Bill Dana
• Rodney Dangerfield
• Phyllis Diller
• Totie Fields
• Fyvush Finkel
• Estelle Getty
• Jack Gilford
• George Gobel
• Shecky Greene
• Buddy Hackett
• Mickey Katz
• Jay Jason
• George Jessel
• Danny Kaye
• Alan King
• Robert Klein
• Harvey Korman
• Mal Z. Lawrence
• Thelma Lee
• Jack E. Leonard
• Sam Levenson
• Jerry Lewis
• Charlie Manna
• Chico and Harpo Marx
• Jackie Mason
• Lou Menchell
• Marilyn Michaels
• Gary Morton
• Zero Mostel
• Jan Murray
• Molly Picon
• Charlotte Rae
• Alan Reed
• Carl Reiner
• The Revuers (Judy Holliday, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Alvin Hammer and John Frank)
• Don Rickles
• Joan Rivers
• Freddie Roman
• Benny Rubin
• Rowan & Martin
• Mort Sahl
• Soupy Sales
• Dick Shawn
• Allan Sherman
• Phil Silvers
• Arnold Stang
• Jerry Stiller
• Larry Storch
• Renée Taylor
• The Three Stooges
• Jackie Vernon
• Jackie Wakefield
• Bert Wheeler
• Jonathan Winters
• Henny Youngman

Borscht Belt humor refers to the rapid-fire, often self-deprecating style common to many of these performers and writers. Typical themes include

• Bad luck: "When I was a kid, I was breast-fed by my father." (Dangerfield)
• Puns: "Sire, the peasants are revolting!" "You said it. They stink on ice." (Harvey Korman as Count de Money (Monet) and Mel Brooks as King Louis XVI, in History of the World Part I)
• Physical complaints and ailments (often relating to bowels and cramping): "My doctor said I was in terrible shape. I told him, 'I want a second opinion.' He said, 'All right, you're ugly too!'" "I told my doctor, 'This morning when I got up and saw myself in the mirror, I looked awful! What's wrong with me?' He replied, 'I don't know, but your eyesight is perfect!'" (Dangerfield)
• Aggravating relatives and nagging wives: "My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met." (Dangerfield). "Take my wife—please!" (Henny Youngman); "My wife drowned in the pool because she was wearing so much jewelry." (Rickles); "My wife ain't too bright. One day our car got stolen. I said to her, 'Did you get a look at the guy?' She said, 'No, but I got the license number.'" (Dangerfield) "This morning the doorbell rang. I said 'Who is it?' He said 'It's the Boston strangler.' I said 'It's for you dear!'" (Youngman)

Some—but not all—of the modern Borscht Belt comedians, such as Don Rickles, Lenny Bruce. Jackie Mason and Joan Rivers, referred openly to Jews and anti-Semitism.

Also seen regularly at these Catskills resorts were a large number of singers, dancers, musicians, and other variety acts including:

• Mimi Benzell
• Kitty Carlisle
• Carol Channing
• Cyd Charisse
• Stuart Damon
• Bob Dylan
• The Big Three
• Frances Faye
• Benny Fields and Blossom Seeley
• Eddie Fisher
• Libby Holman
• Betty Garrett
• Benny Goodman
• Lesley Gore
• Joel Grey
• Al Jolson
• Helen Kane
• Lainie Kazan
• Carole King
• Abbe Lane
• Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé
• Oscar Levant
• Shari Lewis
• Tina Louise
• Tony Martin
• Robert Merrill
• Mitch Miller
• Borrah Minevitch
• Anthony Newley
• Shaike Ophir
• Mae Questel
• David Rose
• Maxie Rosenbloom
• Lillian Roth
• Neil Sedaka
• Dinah Shore
• Simon & Garfunkel
• The Simon Sisters
• Barbra Streisand
• Tiny Tim
• Mel Tormé
• Sophie Tucker
• Bobby Van
• Beryl Wallace
• Walter Winchell