Wednesday, May 08, 2013

KEEP LAUGHING by Morey Amsterdam


KEEP LAUGHING by Morey Amsterdam is not really about Mr. Amsterdam at all. It's a collection of 1950s night club jokes that, really, to be kind, have not stood the test of time. It's copyright 1959 by Mr. Amsterdam and sports drawings by Sheila Greenwald.



This is a couple of years before Amsterdam became famous for his DICK VAN DYKE SHOW (1961-66) Buddy-Rogers-the-comedy-writer role, so if you want to get a flavor of the man's material before he was on TV, this is your source. It is strange to read a book about Morey Amsterdam with NO mention of Dick Van Dyke or Carl Reiner!

Here are a few samples of his "best jokes and anecdotes," with Ms. Greenwald's art:




Like I said, it has not aged well -- and that's the kindest way to put it.

And here's a cascade of Morey, a detail from the back dust jacket.





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