L E’s Stories – “The Master Of One-Liners Just Don’t Get No Respect” – Tribute To The Comedic Genius Of Rodney Dangerfield

Having seen Rodney Dangerfield live in concert on three occasions over the years…..Bone Daddy calls Dangerfield the “Master of One-Liners”….as he says that Rodney fires one-liners at his audience so fast from the stage…..which makes it difficult to stay up with him….cuz you’re laughing so hard at one when another one whizzes past  you…..when Bone Daddy coined the phrase “Machine Gun Humor” after seeing him live at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas in 1983.  After you have watched the videos in this tribute to Dangerfield’s comedic genius…..we think you will agree with us that this man was indeed a unique funny man who had a wonderful talent to make people laugh…..which certainly makes him more than worthy of his place here at  ImaSportsphile….cuz the truth be known, there has never been a comedian quite like Rodney Dangerfield….and we love and appreciate his talent…..so, enjoy our tribute to the man who just don’t get no respect.                                              

 

Comedy – 1971 To 2001 – Stand Up Comedy Special – 101 Rodney Dangerfield One-Liners

 

Jack Roy (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), popularly known by the stage name Rodney Dangerfield, was an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, musician and author. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, his catchphrase “I don’t get no respect!” and his monologues on that theme….who began his career working as a stand-up comic in the Borscht Belt resorts of the Catskill Mountains northwest of New York City.  His act grew in popularity as he became a mainstay on late-night talk shows throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s….while eventually developing into a headlining act on the Las Vegas casino circuit.  His catchphrase “I don’t get no respect!” came from an attempt to improve one of his stand-up jokes. “I played hide and seek; they wouldn’t even look for me.”…..as he thought the joke would be stronger if it used the formulaic “I was so …” beginning….as evidenced by “I was so poor,” “He was so ugly,” “She was so stupid,” etc….so, he tried “I get no respect,”…. and got a much better response with the audience…..therefore, it became a permanent feature of his act and comedic persona.

 

 

Comedy-1924 To 2004 – Time Warp Hunter Special – Biography – Rodney Dangerfield

 

He appeared in a few bit parts in films such as The Projectionist throughout the 1970’s….when his breakout film role came in 1980 as a hilariously boorish nouveau riche golfer in the ensemble comedy Caddyshack…..which was followed by two more successful films in which he starred in 1983’s Easy Money and 1986’s Back to School…..while additional film work kept him busy through the rest of his life…..which were mostly in comedies….but with a rare dramatic role in 1994’s Natural Born Killers…..when he played an abusive father.  Health troubles curtailed his output through the early 2000’s before his death in 2004….which followed a month in a coma due to complications from heart valve surgery.

 

 

Comedy & Movie Clips -1980 – From Movie Caddyshack – Starring Rodney Dangerfield + Ted Knight – “Tribute To Al Cervik”                                                                          

 

Comedy & Movie Clips -1986 – From Movie Back To School – Starring Rodney Dangerfield + Sally Kellerman – “The Triple Lindy”                                                          

 

Rodney Dangerfield was born Jacob Rodney Cohen in the Village of Babylon, in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, on November 22, 1921.  He was the son of Jewish parents Dorothy “Dotty” Teitelbaum and the vaudevillian  performer Phillip Cohen…..whose stage name was Phil Roy…..as his father was rarely home…..when his son normally saw him only twice a year….as later in life, Cohen begged his son for, and received, his forgiveness…..and on the other hand, Dangerfield’s mother was cruel and cold to him his entire life.  Throughout his childhood, she never kissed, hugged or showed any sign of affection.  In an interview with Howard Stern on May 25, 2004, Dangerfield told Stern that he had been molested by a man in his neighborhood…..when the man would pay Rodney a nickel and kiss him for five minutes.  After his father abandoned the family, his mother moved Dangerfield and his sister to Kew Gardens, Queens…..where Dangerfield attended Richmond Hill High School…..when he graduated in 1939.  To support himself and his family, he delivered groceries and sold newspapers and ice cream at the beach.                                                                                                           

 

Comedy – 1980 To 2000 – Special – Norm Macdonald + Rodney Dangerfield – “Wife Jokes”

 

 

Comedy – 1985 – Rodney Dangerfield’s TV Special “Exposed” – Comedy Skit  – “Rodney Crashes Morgan Fairchild’s Hollywood Bash”                                                     

 

At the age of 15, he began to write for stand-up comedians while performing at a resort in Ellenville, New York.  Then, at the age of 19 he legally changed his name to Jack Roy.  He struggled financially for nine years, at one point performing as a singing waiter until he was fired….after which he took a job selling aluminum siding in the mid 1950’s to support his wife and family.  He later quipped that he was so little known when he gave up show business that “at the time I quit, I was the only one who knew I quit.”

 

 

Comedy – 1983 – Comedy Skit Special – “Blind Dating 101 with Rodney Dangerfield” 

Comedy – 1983 – Rodney Dangerfield’s “I Can’t Take It No More” TV Show Skit – “The Party Saver”                                                                                                           

 

In the early 1960’s, he started reviving his career as an entertainer…..but he still worked as a salesman by day….while returning to the stage at night and performing at many hotels in the Catskill Mountains…..but still finding minimal success.  He fell into about $20,000 debt by his own estimate….and couldn’t get booked…..as he later joked, “I played one club—it was so far out, my act was reviewed in Field & Stream.”…..when he came to realize that what he lacked was an “image” that was a well-defined on-stage persona that audiences could relate to….which would distinguish him from other comics….when after being shunned by some premier comedy venues….that is when he returned home where he began developing a character for whom nothing goes right.

 

 

Comedy – 1980 – Tonight With Johnny Carson – “Rodney Dangerfield At The Top Of His Game”

 

 

Comedy – 1984 – SNL Skit – Rodney Dangerfield + Bill Murray In “Superhero Face Off”                                                                                                                                  

 

He took the name Rodney Dangerfield….which had been used as the comical name of a faux cowboy star by Jack Benny on his radio program at least as early as the December 21, 1941….and broadcast, later as a pseudonym by Ricky Nelson on the TV program The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet….and coincidentally as a pseudonymous singer at Camp Records….as that led to rumors that Jack Roy had been signed to Camp Records…..which is something he bewilderedly denied shortly before his death.  The Benny character, who also received little or no respect from the outside world, served as a great inspiration to Dangerfield while he was developing his own comedy character.  The Biography TV program also tells of the time Benny visited Dangerfield backstage after one of his performances….when during this visit Benny complimented him on developing such a wonderful comedy character and style…..however, Jack Roy remained Dangerfield’s legal name…..as he mentioned this in several interviews.  During a question-and-answer session with the audience on the album No Respect, Dangerfield joked that his real name was Percival Sweetwater.

 

 

Comedy – 1985 – Comedy Skit Special – “Rodney Dangerfield’s Guide To Auto Repair”

 

 

Comedy – 1983 – Rodney Dangerfield In “I Can’t Take It No More” TV Special – Comedy Skit – “Don’t Jump Rodney”                                                                                    

 

Dangerfield’s one-liner style of comedy

Comedy – 1965 To 2000 – Special – “Rodney Dangerfield’s Best 1-Liners”

 

 

Comedy – 1980 – Saturday Night Live Opening Monologue With Rodney Dangerfield – “One 1-Liner After Another”                                                                        

 

In March 1967, The Ed Sullivan Show needed a last-minute replacement for another act, and Dangerfield became the surprise hit of the show…..after which Dangerfield began headlining shows in Las Vegas….and continued making frequent appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show….plus he also became a regular on The Dean Martin Show….while appearing on The Tonight Show  more than 70 times.

 

 

Comedy – 1969 – The Ed Sullivan Show – With Rodney Dangerfield Stand-Up – “Daffy And Sorrowful”                                                                                                             

Comedy – 1972 – The Dean Martin Show – With Rodney Dangerfield                                                                                                 

 

In 1969, Rodney Dangerfield teamed up with longtime friend Anthony Bevacqua to build the Dangerfield’s Comedy Club in New York City….which was a venue where he could perform on a regular basis without having to constantly travel…..as the club remained in continuous operation until October 14, 2020….which was 16 years after Dangerfield’s death….while having closed due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.  Dangerfield’s was the venue for several HBO comedy specials starring such stand-up comics as Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Carrey, Tim Allen, Roseanne Barr, Robert Townsend, Jeff Foxworthy, Sam Kinison, Bill Hicks, Rita Rudner, Andrew Dice Clay, Louie Anderson, Dom Irrera, and Bob Saget.

 

 

Comedy – 1987 – Live At Dangerfield’s Comedy Club – Rodney Dangerfield+ Andrew Dice Clay + Carol Liefer + Robt Schimmel – “Nothing Goes Right”

 

 

Comedy – 1987 – Rodney Dangerfield TV Special With Bill Murray – Comedy Skit – “Mr. Lucky”                                                                                                                                   

 

In 1978, Dangerfield was invited to be the keynote speaker at Harvard University’s Class Day, an annual ceremony for seniors the day before commencement.

 

 

Comedy – 1974 – Tonight With Johnny Carson – With Rodney Dangerfield – “When Carson Can’t Keep Up With Dangerfield’s Non-Stop 1-Liners”

 

 

Comedy – 1970 To 1999 – Special – Rodney Dangerfield’s Best Ugly Jokes

 

His 1980 comedy album No Respect won a Grammy Award.  One of his TV specials featured a musical number, “Rappin’ Rodney”, which appeared on his 1983 follow-up album, Rappin’ Rodney.  In December 1983, the “Rappin’ Rodney” single became one of the first Hot 100 rap records….and the associated video was an early MTV hit.  The video featured cameo appearances by Don Novello as a last rites priest munching on Rodney’s last meal of fast food in a styrofoam container and Pat Benatar as a masked executioner pulling a hangman’s knot….as the two appear in a dream sequence wherein Dangerfield is condemned to die….and does not get any respect, even in Heaven, as the gates close without his being permitted to enter. 

 

Comedy – 1983 – Rodney Dangerfield Music Video – “Rappin’ Rodney” – Might Be 1st White Rapper Song Ever

 

Though his acting career had begun much earlier in obscure movies like The Projectionist in 1971….then Dangerfield’s career took off during the early 1980’s…..when he began acting in hit comedy movies.  One of Dangerfield’s more memorable performances was in the 1980 golf comedy Caddyshack….. in which he played an obnoxious nouveau riche property developer who was a guest at a golf club….where he clashed with the uptight Judge Elihu Smails …..which was played by Ted Knight.  His role was initially smaller, but because he and fellow cast members Chevy Chase and Bill Murray proved adept at improvisation, their roles were greatly expanded during filming….as this was much to the chagrin of some of their castmates.  Initial reviews of  Caddyshack praised Dangerfield’s standout performance among the wild cast.  His appearance in Caddyshack led to starring roles in Easy Money         and Back to School…..for which he also served as co-writer.  Unlike his stand-up persona, his comedy film characters were portrayed as successful and generally popular…..while still being loud, brash and detested by the wealthy elite.

 

 

Comedy & Movie Clips – 1980 – Best Scenes From Movie “Caddyshack” – Starring Rodney Dangerfield + Bill Murray + Ted Knight + Chevy Chase

 

 

Comedy & Movie Clips – 1982 – From Movie “Easy Money” – Starring Rodney Dangerfield + Joe Peske – Scene “At The Track”

 

 

Comedy & Movie Clips – 1982 – From Movie “Easy Money” – Starring Rodney Dangerfield – “Thornton Talks Business” Scene

 

Throughout the 1980’s, Dangerfield also appeared in a series of commercials for Miller Lite beer….including one in which various celebrities who had appeared in the ads were holding a bowling match…..when with the score tied, after a bearded Ben Davidson told Rodney, “All we need is one pin, Rodney”…..and that is when Dangerfield’s ball went down the lane and bounced perpendicularly off the head pin, landing in the gutter without knocking down any of the pins.  He also appeared in the endings of Billy Joel’s music video of “Tell Her About It” and Lionel Richie’s video of “Dancing on the Ceiling”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

TV Ads – 1976 – Lite Beer From Miller – With Rodney Dangerfield – “Don’t Get No Respect”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 

TV Ads – 1979 – Lite Beer From Miller – With Rodney Dangerfield- As MC of 1st Annual Lite Beer Banquet

 

 

TV Ads – 1979 – Lite Beer From Miller – With Rodney Dangerfield + Bob Uecker  + Mickey Spillane – “The Haunted House”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

 

TV Ads – 1987 – Lite Beer From Miller – With Rodney Dangerfield Et Al – “The Alien Ship”                                                                                                                                        

 

In March 1995, Dangerfield was the first celebrity to personally own a website and create content for it.  He interacted with fans who visited his site via an “E-mail me” link, often surprising people with a reply.  By 1996, Dangerfield’s website proved to be such a hit that he made Websight magazine’s list of the “100 Most Influential People on the Web”.

 

 

Comedy – 2001 – Tonight Show With Jay Leno – Guest Rodney Dangerfield Is Hilarious

 

 

Comedy – 1970 To 1999 – Special – Rodney Dangerfield’s “Tough Neighborhood” Jokes

 

Dangerfield appeared in an episode of The Simpsons titled “Burns, Baby Burns” in which he played a character who is essentially a parody of his own persona, Mr. Burns’s son Larry Burns.  He also appeared as himself in an episode of Home Improvement.  Dangerfield also appeared in the 2000 Adam Sandler film Little Nicky, playing Lucifer, the father of Satan (Harvey Keitel) and grandfather of Nicky (Sandler).

 

 

Comedy & Movie Clips – 2000 – Scene From Movie “Little Nicky” – Starring Adam Sandler + Harvey Keitel + Rodney Dangerfield

 

 

Movie Clips & Comedy – 1983 – From Movie “Back To School” – Starring Rodney Dangerfield In The “House Party” Scene

 

He was recognized by the Smithsonian Institution….which put one of his trademark white shirts and red ties on display…..when he handed the shirt to the museum’s curator, Rodney joked, “I have a feeling you’re going to use this to clean Lindbergh’s plane.”

 

 

Comedy & Talk Shows – 1980 – Caddyshack Interview With Rodney Dangerfield + Chevy Chase + Bill Murray + Ted Knight

 

Dangerfield played an important role in comedian Jim Carrey’s rise to stardom…..when in the 1980’s, after watching Carrey perform at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, Rodney signed Carrey to open for Dangerfield’s Las Vegas show…..as the two toured together for about two more years.  When Dangerfield celebrated his 80th birthday on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in November 2001, Carrey made a surprise appearance to thank Dangerfield for his years of support.

 

 

Comedy – 1995 – Tonight With Jay Leno At The MGM Grand – With Rodney Dangerfield Hilarious Stand-Up

 

On November 22, 2001 (his 80th birthday), Dangerfield suffered a mild heart attack while doing stand-up on The Tonight Show…..when Dangerfield was performing, Jay Leno noticed something was wrong with Dangerfield’s movements…..and asked his producer to call the paramedics.  During Dangerfield’s hospital stay, the staff were reportedly upset that he smoked marijuana in his room.  Dangerfield returned to the Tonight Show a year later, performing on his 81st birthday.

 

 

 Comedy – 1974 – Tonight Show With Johnny Carson – With Rodney Dangerfield – “Non-Stop 1-Liners”                                                                                                

 

On April 8, 2003, Dangerfield underwent brain surgery to improve blood flow in preparation for heart valve-replacement surgery on a later date.  The heart surgery took place on August 24, 2004.  Upon entering the hospital, he uttered another characteristic one-liner when asked how long he would be hospitalized: “If all goes well, about a week. If not, about an hour and a half.” He would pass away just six weeks later, on October 5, 2004.

 

 

Comedy – 2004 – NBC’s George Lewis Special News Report – Rodney Dangerfield Dead At 82

 

Dangerfield was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. On the day of Dangerfield’s death, the randomly generated Joke of the Day on his website happened to be “I tell ya I get no respect from anyone. I bought a cemetery plot. The guy said, ‘There goes the neighborhood!'” This led his wife, Joan Dangerfield, to choose “There goes the neighborhood” as the epitaph on his headstone, which has become so well known that it has been used as a New York Times crossword puzzle clue.  Dangerfield’s widow held an event in which the word “respect” had been emblazoned in the sky…..while each guest was given a live monarch butterfly for a butterfly-release ceremony led by Farrah Fawcett.  UCLA’s Division of Neurosurgery named a suite of operating rooms after him and gave him the “Rodney Respect Award”…..which his widow presented to Jay Leno on October 20, 2005.  It was presented on behalf of the David Geffen School of Medicine/Division of Neurosurgery at UCLA at their 2005 Visionary Ball.  Other recipients of the “Rodney Respect Award” include Tim Allen  (2007), Jim Carrey (2009), Louie Anderson (2010), Bob Saget (2011), Chelsea Handler (2012), Chuck Lorre (2013), Kelsey Grammer (2014), Brad Garrett (2015), Jon Lovitz (2016) and Jamie Masada (2019).

 

 

Comedy – 2004 – Special -Jay Leno Made a Dying Rodney Dangerfield Laugh

 

In memoriam, Saturday Night Live ran a short sketch of Dangerfield (played by Darrell Hammond) at the gates of heaven. Saint Peter mentions that he heard Dangerfield got no respect in life, which prompts Dangerfield to spew an entire string of his famous one-liners.  After he’s done, he asks why Saint Peter was so interested. Saint Peter replies, “I just wanted to hear those jokes one more time” and waves him into heaven, prompting Dangerfield to joyfully declare: “Finally! A little respect!”  On September 10, 2006, Comedy Central’s Legends: Rodney Dangerfield commemorated his life and legacy. Featured comedians included Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Jay Leno, Ray Romano, Roseanne Barr, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Saget, Jerry Stiller, Kevin Kline and Jeff Foxworthy.

 

 

Comedy – 2004 – Saturday Night Live – “Rodney Goes To Heaven” – Tribute to Rodney Dangerfield

 

 

Comedy – 1986 – SNL Skit – “Bill Murray As Rodney Dangerfield’s Psychiatrist”                                                                                                                                    

 

On The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, May 29, 2009, Leno credited Dangerfield with popularizing the style of joke he had long been using…..as the format of the joke is that the comedian tells a sidekick how bad something is, and the sidekick—in this case, guitar player Kevin Eubanks—sets up the joke by asking just how bad that something is.  In 2014, Dangerfield was awarded an honorary doctorate posthumously from Manhattanville College, officially deeming him Dr. Dangerfield.  Beginning on June 12, 2017, Los Angeles City College Theater Academy hosted the first class of The Rodney Dangerfield Institute of Comedy.  The class is a stand-up comedy class which is taught by comedienne Joanie Willgues, aka Joanie Coyote.  In August 2017, a plaque honoring Dangerfield was installed in Kew Gardens, his old Queens neighborhood.  In 2019, an inscription was made to the “Wall of Life” at Hebrew University’s Mt. Scopus Campus that reads “Joan and Rodney Dangerfield.”

 

 

Comedy – 1983 – Tonight Show With Johnny Carson – With Guest Rodney Dangerfield

 

After viewing all of the videos within this story about the incredible comic genius that was Rodney Dangerfield….and I have come to the conclusion that he is truly one of the funniest people to ever walk this Earth….while his  “machine gun” delivering of extremely funny 1-lines……one right after another  …..was truly what set him apart from other great comedians throughout history.  Simply put, Rodney Dangerfield could make people laugh a lot.  We are so happy to have this story posted here at ImaSportsphile that we have so much content of Rodney Dangerfield….cuz we figure that 100 years from now….folks will still be laughing at these videos….so, thank you Rodney Dangerfield for bringing the joy of laughter to millions of folks from here forth.

Comedy – 2004 – Animated Special – “Rodney Dangerfield Literally Knocks Em Dead”                                                                                                                                   

Comedy & Awards Shows – 1995 – Jim Carrey Presents Rodney Dangerfield Achievement Creative Award