Joey Faye

Joey Faye
Faye in an episode of Lock-Up (1960)
Born
Joseph Antony Palladino

(1909-07-12)July 12, 1909
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 26, 1997(1997-04-26) (aged 87)
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationsComedian, actor
Years active1930–1994
Spouses
  • Eileen Jenkins
  • Ginna Carr
  • Judy Carlin

Joey Faye (born Joseph Antony Palladino, July 12, 1909 or 1910 or 1902 – April 26, 1997) was an American comedian and actor.

Born in New York City, he gained fame as a comic in vaudeville and claimed that he created two of vaudeville's more renowned pieces of business, "Floogle Street" (a.k.a. "Susquehana Hat Company") and "Slowly I Turned". In addition to an active career in vaudeville and the legitimate theater, he appeared in many movies and TV shows.

Broadway

The Republic Theatre was the site of Faye's New York stage debut at age 21. During World War II, he entertained Allied military personnel in Africa and Europe as part of a troupe headed by Marlene Dietrich. He was known for having the "fastest sneeze in the West".

Faye played second banana to Phil Silvers in two Broadway shows, High Button Shoes and Top Banana. He also appeared in the 1954 film. In a Broadway career that stretched between the late 1930s and the early 1990s, he appeared in 17 shows altogether, including Room Service (his Broadway debut) and The Tender Trap. He also appeared in the 1955 movie adaptation, the 1965 revival of Guys and Dolls, and Neil Simon's musical Little Me.[citation needed] Faye was the green grapes in Fruit of the Loom underwear commercials throughout the 1980s.

Television

He appeared as a guest in many TV shows from 1949 through 1984. In 1949 he was the resident comedian on NBC's variety show, Broadway Spotlight. In early 1950 he took over as host of the CBS variety show 54th Street Revue. Later in 1950 he headlined a short-lived CBS variety show, Joey Faye's Frolics, which lasted only two weeks. In 1951 he was a participating actor in an equally short-lived CBS quiz show, Guess Again, which also lasted just two weeks. He had better success co-starring with another former burlesque comedian, Mickey Deems, in a series of low-budget 15-minute comedies produced for television. This syndicated series, Mack & Myer for Hire (1963), had Mack (Deems) and Myer (Faye), traveling by motorcycle with sidecar, and hiring themselves out as general help. They would attempt various assignments (carpentry, plumbing, bricklaying, etc.) earnestly but clumsily.

In the 1980s, Joey Faye worked with Benny Hill in a series of sketches produced for home video.

Personal life

Faye was married three times—to Eileen Jenkins, Ginna Carr, and Judy Carlin. He once lived in Great Kills, Staten Island.

Death

Faye died in Englewood, New Jersey, on April 26, 1997. He was 87 years old.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

  1. 1 2 Lyman, Rick (April 28, 1997). "Joey Faye, 87, Burlesque Comic and an Actor". The New York Times. p. B12. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Vosburgh, Dick (May 7, 1997). "Obituary: Joey Faye". Independent. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  3. ↑ Sage, Dusty (2016). Burlesque In a Nutshell - Girls, Gimmicks & Gags. BearManor Media. Retrieved July 30, 2026.
  4. ↑ Day, Rebecca. "'Slowly I Turned': A Piece of America's Pop Culture". Niagara Falls Reporter. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  5. ↑ Oliver, Myrna (May 1, 1997). "Joey Faye; Comic Ranged from Vaudeville to TV Ads". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  6. ↑ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). "Broadway Spotlight (Variety)". The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9 ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved September 10, 2026.
  7. ↑ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). "Fifty-Fourth Street Revue (Variety)". The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 470–471. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved September 10, 2026.
  8. ↑ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). "Joey Faye's Frolics (Comedy/Variety)". The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9 ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 709. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved July 30, 2026.
  9. ↑ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). "Guess Again (Quiz/Audience Participation)". The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9 ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 567. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Famous Staten Islanders from all walks of life". Staten Island Advance. April 23, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  11. ↑ Berkowitz, Joe (May 18, 2021). "RIP Charles Grodin, dry humor king. Pay tribute to his comedic legacy with this clip". Fast Company. Retrieved June 13, 2021.