The History of Comedy, Part 1

We are collecting stories now about the best comedians, variety performers and stage musicians in the 1940s and 1950s. They will appear on this site as part of an ongoing project to restore a segment of the history of comedy in America, which has grown from song and theater performance, to early film, to vaudeville and the variety show, to the varied and rich forms of comedy today, which include stand-up, performance, the television script, improvisation, and alternative forms of comedy that are continuing to emerge.

You are welcome to email your stories, suggestions or memories of the comedians and performers who made an impression.