Shecky Greene defined the notion of the Catskills comic on “Ed Sullivan.” How many times has someone been called “a real Shecky Greene”? It’s a term of endearment if you’re trying to be a wise guy or a jokester.
There are a ton of tributes to Shecky today on the internet. He was 97! Few people realized he was still alive. But the idea of Shecky Green brings a smile to people of a certain age. We remember! He was from the hallowed era of Alan King, Freddie Roman, Stiller & Meara, Joan Rivers, Don Rickles, Phyllis Diller. Before woke and PC– when jokes could be jokes!
His real name was Fred Sheldon Greenfield, but he did once a race horse called Shecky Greene. Shecky ran with all the famous Vegas guys, the mobsters and the showgirls. He was a big part of the now defunct Friars Club. His pal, “Hollywood Squares” Peter Marshall — also 97 — posted a lovely tribute to Shecky tonight.
I loved #SheckyGreene like a brother. We met in ’50 working the Chase Hotel. I saw all his ups & downs & he made me laugh through them all. Sweetest man in the world. Best comic ever (w/80 yrs in the biz I’ve seen them all). Thank God for his wife Marie. I’ll sure miss him. pic.twitter.com/rQHOgY2x5J
— Peter Marshall (@PeterMarshallHS) January 1, 2024
