On this day in 1966, the world lost one of the greatest comedians of all times: Mr. Ed Wynn. He was eighty years old. Ed ran away from home at fifteen to join an acting company and was almost always from that year in show business. His fame came from two distinct characters that he created. The first (pictured at left) was "The Perfect Fool" which he utilized in early vaudeville. The second was the endearing "Fire Chief" for whom he was best remembered. He was born Isaiah Edward Leopold in 1886. Vaudeville was very kind to this great comedian who often noted the difference between a comic and a true comedian. "A comic says things funny; a comedian says things that are funny. He was brilliantly cast as the voice of The Mad Hatter in Walt Disney's "Alice In Wonderland" But it was at the urging of his son, Keenyn Wynn that the great comedian took up serious acting. His incredible performance in "The Diary Of Anne Frank" as Van Dussell was absolutely brilliant. Who could forget his portrayal of Uncle Albert in "Mary Poppins", or as Refus in his last movie "The Gnome Mobile". I will remember 1966 because in that year, I lost my dad, Ed Wynn, Verna Felton and of course Walt Disney, himself. Ed Wynn used to say "I never pulled up a raddish without a mortgage being attached to it" Oh is that true today! Nothing comes without a price tag of some sort. I do remember one portrayal he made on "The Twilight Zone" Mr. Death has come to take away "Lou Diamond" the greatest pitch man on the planet. Ed Wynn's character manages to trick "Mr. Death" by claiming "unfinished business" as the reason he is not ready to claim his eternal reward and face his demise! Wynn's character ( a great salesman) wants to make "the pitch of the century" or "one for the angels" an accomplishment every salesman and dreamer (and I am both of those) wants to make. Because death is cheated, he picks a young girl to take Lou's place and her "scheduled departure" is at midnight that night. Mr Death appears an hour before and Ed Wynn's character opens his suitcase of nick nacks and wares and begins to pitch "Mr. Death" himself. Not even death is a match for the great salesman and "Mr. Death's deadline for taking the young girl comes and goes. Now death warns, there will be great reprecussions. But Wynn's character now agrees to go with Death. He has made "the pitch of the century" He has acomplished in his simple life a feat that can be called "One For The Angels" In my own life, I have prayed and asked God to be able to do just that: to have at least one success that is so fantastic it can labeled as "one for the angels" I think I will. I have a great love for songwriting and the most amazing arranger in the whole world. Together I think we can do "one for the angels". The epitath on Ed Wynn's grave is very simple, but very effective. It reads "Dear God, thank you!" And as long as thank you is the subject here: "Thank you Edward Keenan Wynn" for all the joy and laughter that you brought into the world. I have made the great "Fire Chief" a character in a musical I have written called "Once More With Spirit" --perhaps he will ask the Good Lord to make this play a great success. Until next time...