Guy Marks - Career

Career

Marks made his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on May 29, 1960. From that point on he appeared dozens of times throughout the 1960s and 1970s on popular variety shows. But perhaps his big break came when he was cast as a regular on the 1962-63 season of The Joey Bishop Show. Marks appeared in the first 19 episodes of the show's second season, as Freddy, manager to Bishop's character, when he was suddenly replaced. Newspapers at the time reported conflict between the show's star, Bishop and his second banana, Marks. Bishop denied it in the press, and many years later would go on to have Marks on his popular late night talk show. Next, Marks would make a memorable appearance in an episode of Dick Van Dyke, in 1963 when he played a love interest for Sally played by Rose Marie. The episode, entitled "Jilting the Jilter", featured much of Marks' nightclub routine at the time. Then in May of 1964, he appeared on The Hollywood Palace, to perform another of his famous nightclub bits, entitled 'How The West Was REALLY Won?' The skit featured Marks' flawless imitations of Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Robert Mitchum and a Native American Indian. In 1965 he guest starred on two science fiction programs, My Living Doll, and My Favorite Martian. In the latter on an episode called, "The Martian's Fair Hobo", Marks plays a hobo named, Shorty Smith! The character allowed Marks to show off his talents for imitating animals and inanimate objects, such as foghorns and frogs. Then, during the 1965-'66 TV season he played second banana once again this time supporting, John Forsythe in the role of Major Joe Foster in the sitcom, later changed to a drama, The John Forsythe Show on NBC. The show only lasted 29 episodes, and hasn't been seen on TV in years. He was second banana once again, in 1967, when he was featured as the American Indian "Pink Cloud" in the 1967 ABC comedy Western, Rango, starring Tim Conway. Despite early favorable reviews, the show only lasted 17 episodes. In 1969, he appeared on an episode of the popular, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (TV Series) sitcom, playing a gangster who sounds a lot like Humphrey Bogart! He ended the decade with an appearance as a thief trying to hold up, Lucille Ball on the Here's Lucy show. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Marks made frequent appearances on The Dean Martin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Joey Bishop Show and on The The Merv Griffin Show alone, he appeared a total of fifteen times over nine years. During this time he also continued to work in nightclubs all over the country and in Las Vegas, performing alongside Eddie Fisher, Ann-Margret, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Petula Clark. In a 1974 episode of The Odd Couple, he portrayed a late night horror movie host named Igor, who sounded a lot like Boris Karloff. His only big-screen appearance was in the 1975 film, Train Ride to Hollywood where he was called upon again to imitate Humphrey Bogart. Also, in 1975, Marks performed his famous "How The West Was REALLY Won?" routine on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast to Michael Landon. It was by far the hit of the show, and had host Martin and fellow roaster, Don Rickles howling with laughter. In 1977, he starred alongside Billy Barty in another sitcom pilot called, Great Day. It told the story of a group of homeless who contemplate taking jobs to help save their soon to be foreclosed mission. On an episode of Police Woman, called "Blind Terror" that aired in 1978, Marks appeared along with Sandra Dee and the show's star, Angie Dickinson. In 1980, he lent his voice along with Rip Taylor to an animated short called, Don't Miss the Boat. Then in 1981 he was working with Lucille Ball again, in the only project she ever directed, the unsold pilot for a sitcom called Bungle Abbey. Marks final role on TV was a featured one in the 1986-'87 sitcom You Again? as Harry, a poker-playing friend to the show's star Jack Klugman.