RIP Gary Ownes

[Spirit]

Laugh In is one of my first memories of childhood. 

 

http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-gary-owens-20150213-story.html

 

[Blarg]

Oh shit, I was just thinking about him on Monday trying to explain Owens time as a celebrity radio announcer. It wasn't until I mentioned he was the voice of Powdered Toast Man on Ren & Stimpy that any of my 20 something assists said they heard his voice.

 

I did a retirement video for my father in law many years ago and got Gary Owens to voice over the introduction. Whenever he came in to do announcing he happily did clients cell phone answering messages. He was always surprised in a way that anyone felt he was famous enough to be on their phone message.

 

A good guy with a great sense of humor that really did love his job. We should all be so lucky.

[JAHV76]

RIP. I liked the Gong Show and the Unknown Comic

Edited February 13, 2015 by JAHV76

[Tank]

From beautiful downtown Burbank . . .

That was a truly great voice.

[Redondo]

RIP Gary

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Sorry to hear this. Not a lot of that group left. 

[Slegnaac]

I had the good fortune to meet Gary several times while I was growing up.  My Dad was the engineer for Gary's show at KMPC for many years.  Gary had a great sense of humor and was extremely quick with word play.  It was always fun to have the opportunity to go to work with my dad in the summer and watch the magic happen.   Gary was a very warm hearted and friendly.  When my sister was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, Gary was one of the first people to talk to her, wanting to reassure her that it is possible to have a full life as a Diabetic.

 

 

I also remember being at the station one year before the All Western Band review. 

Gary, knowing that I was a member of the High School Band, played “nernie” song to wish us good luck in the competition.

 

In 1972 Gary came out with a comedy album.  The story I heard was that he wanted to have a celebration party at the Hollywood Bowl.  He said he only needed it for a minute.   The Bowl was booked, but he was able to get it for a few hours one weekday.  The Marque that day read “Gary Owens Minute at the Hollywood Bowl”.  It was invitation only and I was able to go with my Dad and bring along my best friend who was also in the HS Band.  As I recall there were maybe 100 people in the stands.  I am not sure how much of the event was scripted.  On stage was Gary and several of the Laugh-in regulars, Artie, Joann, Lilly.  A couple of the lines I remember….. Gary talking about the size of the audience, “Such a vast audience, or maybe just half-vast”.  And someone else was being ribbed for their linguistic talents, “Such a cunning linguist!”  

 

During his early days at KMPC Gary, in one of his radio promotions, gave away a free jig saw puzzle.  Listeners would send in a self addressed envelope and in return get a two piece jig saw puzzle that was a picture of Gary standing.  The gag was that the picture had been “photo shopped” so that Gary’s head had three eyes, and the three glass frames to go with it.  The trick was that the tab on the right piece had two eyes, and the right piece had the other eye.  Everything looked fine until you put the two pieces together.  People wrote into the station saying they had been given the wrong pieces, etc.  I wish I still had that puzzle, it was a classic prank.

 

Gary was certainly one of a kind.

RIP G.O.