Ray Combs - Career

Career

Combs began performing comedy at Cincinnati's Red Dog Saloon, where he developed his best-known shtick of audience sing-alongs of sitcom theme songs. In 1979, Combs sent a letter to David Letterman asking for advice; the comedian encouraged him to continue in comedy. In 1982, convinced that he was better than others he saw appear on The Tonight Show, Combs quit his job as an Indianapolis furniture salesman and moved with his family to Los Angeles. He did well in a competition with more than 200 young comedians, and began doing audience warm-ups for sitcoms such as The Golden Girls and Amen. Johnny Carson heard the audience's laughter and then invited Combs to perform on The Tonight Show in October 1986; the audience gave the comedian a standing ovation.

In 1987, he appeared as a celebrity panelist on the John Davidson version of Hollywood Squares, and had a small role in the comedy film Overboard starring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. In 1985, he appeared on an episode of The Facts of Life (episode "Doo-Wah") as a background character. Around this time he also guest starred on an episode of The Golden Girls.

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