Imogene Coca (born Emogeane Coca; November 18, 1908 – June 2, 2001) was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite
Sid Caesar
Isaac Sidney Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014) was an American comic actor, comedian and writer. With a career spanning 60 years, he was best known for two pioneering 1950s live television series: ''Your Show of Shows'' (1950 ...
on ''
Your Show of Shows
''Your Show of Shows'' is a live 90-minute variety show that was broadcast weekly in the United States on NBC from February 25, 1950, through June 5, 1954, featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Other featured performers were Carl Reiner, Howa ...
''. Starting out in
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
as a child acrobat, she studied ballet and wished to have a serious career in music and dance, graduating to decades of stage musical revues, cabaret and summer stock. In her 40s, she began a celebrated career as a comedian on television, starring in six series and guest starring on successful television programs from the 1940s to the 1990s.
She was nominated for five
Emmy Awards for ''Your Show of Shows'', winning Best Actress in 1951 and singled out for a
Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting in 1953. Coca was also nominated for a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
in 1978 for ''
On the Twentieth Century
''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play ''Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce an ...
'' and received a sixth Emmy nomination at the age of 80 for an episode of ''
Moonlighting
Moonlighting may refer to:
* Side job
A side job, also informally called a side hustle or side gig, is an additional job that a person takes in addition to their primary job in order to supplement their income. Side jobs may be done out of nec ...
''.
She possessed a rubbery face capable of the broadest expressions — ''
Life
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as Cell signaling, signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for Cell growth, growth, reaction to Stimu ...
'' magazine compared her to
Beatrice Lillie and
Charlie Chaplin and described her characterizations as taking "people or situations suspended in their own precarious balance between dignity and absurdity, and push(ing) them over the cliff with one single, pointed gesture". The magazine noted a "particularly high-brow critic" as observing, "The trouble with most comedians who try to do satire is that they are essentially brash, noisy and indelicate people who have to use a sledge hammer to smash a butterfly. Miss Coca, on the other hand, is the timid woman who, when aroused, can beat a tiger to death with a feather." Aside from vaudeville, cabaret, film, theater and television, she voiced children's
cartoons
A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
and was even featured in the 1984
MTV music video "Bag Lady" by the band
EBN-OZN
Ēbn-Ōzn (pronounced EEBEN-OHZEN) was an American, 1980s New York based experimental New Wave synth pop duo, composed of Ned "Ebn" Liben ( synthesizer) and Robert "Ozn" Rosen ( organ, vocals). The duo who pioneered the sound recording techniq ...
, ultimately working well into her 80s. In a 1999 interview,
Robert Ozn
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, hono ...
said during the shoot she was required to sit on the sidewalk in snow for hours during a blizzard with 15 degree (F) temperatures. "While the rest of us 20-somethings were moaning about the weather, warming ourselves by a heater, this little 75-year-old lady never once complained - put us all to shame. She was the most professional artist I've ever worked with."
Early life
Born Emogeane Coca in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, Coca was the daughter of José Fernandez de Coca, a violinist and vaudeville orchestra conductor and Sadie Brady, a dancer and magician's assistant. Coca's father was of Spanish descent (the family surname was originally Fernández y Coca), the son of Joseph F. Coca, Sr. and his wife, Laura.
Coca took lessons in piano, dance, and voice as a child and while still a teenager moved from Philadelphia to New York City to become a dancer. In 1925, at age 17, she got her first job in the chorus of the Broadway musical ''When You Smile.'' She became a headliner in Manhattan nightclubs with music arranged by her husband, Bob Burton.
She gained prominence when she combined music with comedy; her first critical success was in ''New Faces of 1934''. A well-received part of her act was a comic striptease, during which Coca made sultry faces and gestures but would manage to remove only one glove. She committed this routine to film in the
Educational Pictures
Educational Pictures, also known as Educational Film Exchanges, Inc. or Educational Films Corporation of America, was an American film production and film distribution company founded in 1916 by Earle (E. W.) Hammons (1882–1962). Educational pr ...
comedy short ''The Bashful Ballerina'' (1937). She received excellent notices for her Educational short ''Dime a Dance.'' In a review headlined "Swell Comic Scores," ''Film Daily'' wrote: "A real comedienne who will wow the cash customers with her zany antics, Imogene Coca is in a class all by herself, and her style of comedy does not suggest that of any other funster on the screen." Three other newcomers to films --
Danny Kaye,
June Allyson, and
Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan may refer to:
*Barry Sullivan (American actor) (1912–1994), US film and Broadway actor
*Barry Sullivan (stage actor) (1821–1891), Irish born stage actor active in Britain and Australia
*Barry Sullivan (lawyer), Chicago lawyer and ...
-- were featured in the short, filmed at Educational's New York studio.
Television
Imogene Coca was one of network television's first comics. She starred in an early
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
series, ''Buzzy Wuzzy'', which lasted four episodes in 1948. She played opposite
Sid Caesar
Isaac Sidney Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014) was an American comic actor, comedian and writer. With a career spanning 60 years, he was best known for two pioneering 1950s live television series: ''Your Show of Shows'' (1950 ...
on ''
The Admiral Broadway Revue
''Admiral Broadway Revue'' is an American live television variety show that ran from January 28 to June 3, 1949. The show was notable for being "television's first full scale Broadway type musical revue."
Distribution
The program was broadcast l ...
'' (January to June 1949), and then in the sketch comedy program ''
Your Show of Shows
''Your Show of Shows'' is a live 90-minute variety show that was broadcast weekly in the United States on NBC from February 25, 1950, through June 5, 1954, featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Other featured performers were Carl Reiner, Howa ...
'' (1950 to 1954), which was immensely popular, winning the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series in 1952 and 1953. The 90-minute show was aired live on NBC every Saturday night in prime time. She won the second-ever
in 1951 and was nominated for four other Emmys for her work in the show. She won a 1953
Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. The Caesar-Coca partnership might have continued, but the network tried to generate more revenue by spinning off Coca into her own series. ''The Imogene Coca Show'' ran for one year (1954 to 1955).
![Grindl Imogene Coca Billy Booth 1964](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Grindl_Imogene_Coca_Billy_Booth_1964.jpg)
In the 1963–64 TV season, Coca portrayed a comic temporary helper in the NBC sitcom ''
Grindl
''Grindl'' is an American situation comedy that began in fall 1963 on NBC, originally sponsored by Procter & Gamble. The show, starring Imogene Coca in the title role, lasted for one season.
Synopsis
Grindl (Coca) worked for Foster's Temporary E ...
''. It competed with the second half of ''
The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night M ...
'' and lasted only one season. Coca later starred as a cavewoman with
Joe E. Ross
Joe E. Ross (born Joseph Roszawikz; March 15, 1914 – August 13, 1982) was an American actor known for his trademark "Ooo! Ooo!" exclamation, which he used in many of his roles. He starred in such TV sitcoms as ''The Phil Silvers Show'' and '' C ...
in the 1966–67 time-travel satire sitcom ''
It's About Time''.
She continued to appear on comedy and variety series throughout the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s including several appearances each on ''
The Carol Burnett Show
''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Har ...
'', ''
The George Gobel Show
George Leslie Goebel (May 20, 1919 – February 24, 1991) was an American humorist, actor, and comedian. He was best known as the star of his own weekly comedy variety television series, ''The George Gobel Show'', broadcasting from 1954 to 195 ...
'', ''
The Hollywood Palace
''The Hollywood Palace'' was an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly Saturday nights (except September 1967 to January 1968, when it was seen Monday nights) on ABC from January 4, 1964, to February 7, 1970. Titl ...
'' and
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent Sullivan (September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American television personality, impresario, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the ''New York Daily News'' and the Chicago Tribune New Yor ...
's ''
Toast of the Town
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night ...
'' and
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...
specials. She appeared on other shows and specials by
Dean Martin,
Jackie Gleason
John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...
,
Jerry Lewis,
Dick Clark
Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 19 ...
,
Danny Kaye and
Andy Williams. ''The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and Howard Morris Special'' won a 1967 Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special.
She made memorable guest appearances on sitcoms including two appearances on ''
Bewitched'', ''
The Brady Bunch
''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, afte ...
'' and ''
Mama's Family
''Mama's Family'' is an American sitcom television series starring Vicki Lawrence as Mama (Thelma Harper). The series is a spin-off of a recurring series of comedy sketches called " The Family" featured on ''The Carol Burnett Show'' (1967–78 ...
''. She appeared with
Milton Berle and ''Your Show of Shows'' co-star
Howard Morris
Howard Jerome Morris (September 4, 1919 – May 21, 2005) was an American actor, comedian, and director. He was best known for his role in ''The Andy Griffith Show'' as Ernest T. Bass, and as "Uncle Goopy" in a celebrated comedy sketch on Sid Ca ...
in "Curtain Call", a 1983 episode of ''
Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...
''.
Coca appeared in a number of literary adaptations for children. In 1960 she was Miss Clavel in Sol Saks' adaptation of
Ludwig Bemelmans
Ludwig Bemelmans (April 27, 1898 – October 1, 1962) was an Austrian-American writer and illustrator of children's books and adult novels. He is known best for the ''Madeline'' picture books. Six were published, the first in 1939.
Early life
...
' ''
Madeline
''Madeline'' is a media franchise that originated as a series of children's books written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian-American author. The books have been adapted into numerous formats, spawning telefilms, television series ...
'' for ''
Shirley Temple's Storybook
''Shirley Temple's Storybook'' is a 1958-1961 American children's anthology series hosted and narrated by actress Shirley Temple. The series features adaptations of fairy tales like Mother Goose and other family-oriented stories performed by well ...
''. In 1972, she voiced the character of Princess Jane Klockenlocher in ''
The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye'', a
Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment (founded and formerly known as Videocraft International, Ltd. and Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc.) was an American production company located in New York City, and known for its seasonal television specials, usual ...
version of
Hans Christian Andersen's ''
The Emperor's New Clothes
"The Emperor's New Clothes" ( da, Kejserens nye klæder ) is a literary Folklore, folktale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, about a vain emperor who gets exposed before his subjects. The tale has been translated into over 100 l ...
''. In 1978, she appeared in ''
A Special Sesame Street Christmas
''A Special Sesame Street Christmas'' is a 1978 CBS Christmas special, made the same year as the better-known '' Christmas Eve on Sesame Street''. The special was first broadcast on Friday, December 8, 1978, at 8 PM ET on CBS, pre-empting ''Wonde ...
''. In 1985, she played The Cook in ''
Alice in Wonderland'', an all-star TV miniseries adaptation of the book by
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (; 27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet and mathematician. His most notable works are '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865) and its sequ ...
. Among her final roles was voicing characters in ''
Garfield and Friends
''Garfield and Friends'' is an American animated television series based on the comic strip ''Garfield'' by Jim Davis. The show aired on CBS as part of its Saturday morning children's lineup from September 17, 1988 to December 10, 1994.
The sho ...
''.
[Profile](_blank)
imdb.com; accessed May 12, 2014.
In 1988, Coca appeared as the mother of
Allyce Beasley
Allyce Beasley ( Tannenberg) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as rhyming, love-struck receptionist Agnes DiPesto in the television series ''Moonlighting''. From 2001 to 2007, she was the announcer on Playhouse Disney, a mor ...
's Agnes in the ''
Moonlighting
Moonlighting may refer to:
* Side job
A side job, also informally called a side hustle or side gig, is an additional job that a person takes in addition to their primary job in order to supplement their income. Side jobs may be done out of nec ...
'' episode "Los Dos Dipestos", written by
David Steinberg
David Steinberg (born August 9, 1942) is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, director, and author. At the height of his popularity, during the late 1960s and mid 1970s, he was one of the best-known comics in the United States. He appeared on ...
. She received her sixth Emmy nomination, as Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series, for the role. The same year she was the female recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy at the second annual
American Comedy Awards
The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films. They began in 1987, billed as the "f ...
, alongside male recipient
George Burns
George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...
.
Coca appeared only sporadically in films such as ''The Incredible Incident at Independence Square'', filmed in her hometown of Philadelphia, as well as ''
Under the Yum Yum Tree
''Under the Yum Yum Tree'' is a 1963 American sex comedy film directed by David Swift and starring Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Dean Jones, and Edie Adams, with Imogene Coca, Paul Lynde, and Robert Lansing in supporting roles. The film received ...
'' (1963), ''
Nothing Lasts Forever'', ''
Papa Was a Preacher'', ''
Buy & Cell'' and ''
National Lampoon's Vacation
''National Lampoon's Vacation'', sometimes referred to as simply ''Vacation'', is a 1983 American road trip comedy film directed by Harold Ramis starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid, John Candy, and Christie Brink ...
'' (1983), as "Aunt Edna".
After having appeared in several Broadway musical-comedy revues and plays between the 1930s and the 1950s, Coca returned to Broadway at the age of 70 with a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-nominated performance as religious zealot Letitia Primrose in ''
On the Twentieth Century
''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play ''Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce an ...
'', a 1978 stage musical adapted from the film ''
Twentieth Century
The 20th (twentieth) century began on
January 1, 1901 (1901, MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 (2000, MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu, Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and ...
'' (1934). Her role, that of a religious fanatic who plasters decals onto every available surface, had been a male in both the film and the original stage production, and was rewritten specifically as a vehicle for Coca. She appeared in the Broadway run with
Kevin Kline and
Madeline Kahn
Madeline Gail Kahn ('' née'' Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedian and singer, known for comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks, including '' What's Up, Doc?'' (1972), ' ...
, continued with the national tour starring
Rock Hudson
Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Golde ...
and
Judy Kaye
Judy Kaye (born October 11, 1948) is an American singer and actress. She has appeared in stage musicals, plays, and operas. Kaye has been in long runs on Broadway in the musicals ''The Phantom of the Opera'', ''Ragtime'', '' Mamma Mia!'', and ...
and returned for a later tour revival in the mid-1980s with Kaye and
Frank Gorshin. She also co-starred with singer
Maxine Sullivan
Maxine Sullivan (May 13, 1911 – April 7, 1987), born Marietta Williams in Homestead, Pennsylvania, United States, was an American jazz vocalist and performer.
As a vocalist, Sullivan was active for half a century, from the mid-1930s to just b ...
in ''
My Old Friends'' and touring productions including musicals such as ''
Once Upon a Mattress
''Once Upon a Mattress'' is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway. The play was writte ...
'' and ''
Bells Are Ringing'' and plays such as ''
The Prisoner of Second Avenue
''The Prisoner of Second Avenue'' is a 1975 American black comedy film directed and produced by Melvin Frank and starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft. The film was adapted from the 1971 play by Neil Simon.
Plot
The story revolves around the es ...
'' and ''
Luv''.
She rejoined
Sid Caesar
Isaac Sidney Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014) was an American comic actor, comedian and writer. With a career spanning 60 years, he was best known for two pioneering 1950s live television series: ''Your Show of Shows'' (1950 ...
in 1961–62, 1977 and 1990–91 for a traveling stage revue and made an appearance with Caesar and
Howard Morris
Howard Jerome Morris (September 4, 1919 – May 21, 2005) was an American actor, comedian, and director. He was best known for his role in ''The Andy Griffith Show'' as Ernest T. Bass, and as "Uncle Goopy" in a celebrated comedy sketch on Sid Ca ...
at ''Comic Relief VI'' in 1994.
One of Coca's early stock characters on the Caesar series blended comedy with socially conscious pathos as a
bag lady
"Bag Lady" is a song recorded by American singer Erykah Badu for her second studio album ''Mama's Gun'' (2000). Written by Badu and Isaac Hayes, the song is about a woman who is trying to begin a new relationship but has too much emotional b ...
and she was frequently asked to reprise the role, including by
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hosted ...
for her 60s series and by
Red Skelton
Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program '' The Red Skelton Show''. He has stars ...
as love interest to one of his own familiar characters in the 1981 TV special ''Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner''.
New wave group
Ēbn-Ōzn featured Coca as the title character in the music video to their song "Bag Lady (I Wonder)", which was a top-40 dance hit in 1984.
Personal life and legacy
![Imogene Coca (handprints in cement)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Imogene_Coca_%28handprints_in_cement%29.jpg)
Coca had no children, but was married twice: for 20 years to Bob Burton, from 1935 until his death in 1955, and later for 27 years to
King Donovan
King Donovan (January 25, 1918 – June 30, 1987) was an American film, stage, and television actor, as well as a film and television director.
Early years
Francis King Donovan was born in Manhattan on January 25, 1918. His parents were vaudev ...
, from 1960 until his death in 1987. Burton's death came only one month after her mother had died. Coca was a practicing
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
.
Coca was a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
who supported the campaign of
Adlai Stevenson in the
1952 presidential election.
Hours after Coca and Donovan completed their New Year's Eve 1972 performance of "Fourposter" at the Showboat Dinner Theater in
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...
, they were involved in a serious auto accident. They had been driving in foggy weather to their home in
Clearwater, Florida, when Donovan collided with another car driven by 19-year-old Cheryl Lynn Rice. Rice was unharmed, but Donovan sustained a slight leg injury, and the rear-view mirror entered Coca's right eye, smashing her cheekbone.
Transported to the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, Coca underwent plastic surgery and a cosmetic lens covered her now-blind eye for the rest of her career, which resumed with her long stint in Broadway's ''
On the Twentieth Century
''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play ''Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce an ...
'' beginning in 1978.
Performers citing Coca as an influence include
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hosted ...
,
Lily Tomlin
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the varie ...
,
Whoopi Goldberg
Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...
and
Tracey Ullman
Tracey Ullman (born Trace Ullman, 30 December 1959) is a British-American actress, comedian, singer, writer, producer, and director. Her earliest mainstream appearances were on British television sketch comedy shows '' A Kick Up the Eighties'' ( ...
. ''Your Show of Shows'' is considered a television classic and was the basis for a well-received 1982 film, ''
My Favorite Year
''My Favorite Year'' is a 1982 American comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Richard Benjamin and written by Norman Steinberg and Dennis Palumbo from a story written by Palumbo. The film tells the story of a young comedy writ ...
''. A 1992 musical version of the film made its way to Broadway, in which comedic actress
Andrea Martin
Andrea Louise Martin (born January 15, 1947) is an American-Canadian actress, singer, and comedian, best known for her work in the television series '' SCTV'' and ''Great News''. She has appeared in films such as '' Black Christmas'' (1974), ''W ...
won a
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
for her portrayal of Alice Miller.
In 1995, Coca was honored with the second annual
Women in Film Lucy Award, honoring women's achievement in television and named after
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golde ...
.
Death
On June 2, 2001, Coca died at her home in
Westport, Connecticut
Westport is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, along the Long Island Sound within Connecticut's Gold Coast. It is northeast of New York City. The town had a population of 27,141 according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
History
...
, aged 92, from natural causes incidental to
Alzheimer's disease. She was
cremated
Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre i ...
and her ashes scattered.
Filmography
Television
* ''
Buzzy Wuzzy'' (1948; ran for four weeks)
* ''
The Admiral Broadway Revue
''Admiral Broadway Revue'' is an American live television variety show that ran from January 28 to June 3, 1949. The show was notable for being "television's first full scale Broadway type musical revue."
Distribution
The program was broadcast l ...
'' (1949–1950)
* ''
Your Show of Shows
''Your Show of Shows'' is a live 90-minute variety show that was broadcast weekly in the United States on NBC from February 25, 1950, through June 5, 1954, featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Other featured performers were Carl Reiner, Howa ...
'' (139 episodes 1950–1954)
* ''The Imogene Coca Show'' (1954–1955)
* ''
Playhouse 90'' ("Made in Heaven" 1956)
* ''
General Electric Theater
''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations.
Radio
After an audition show ...
'' ("Cab Driver" 1957)
* ''Sid Caesar Invites You'' (1958, U.S.)
* ''Sid Caesar Invites You'' (1958, UK
BC
* ''
The George Gobel Show
George Leslie Goebel (May 20, 1919 – February 24, 1991) was an American humorist, actor, and comedian. He was best known as the star of his own weekly comedy variety television series, ''The George Gobel Show'', broadcasting from 1954 to 195 ...
'' (4 episodes 1959–1960)
* ''
Shirley Temple's Storybook
''Shirley Temple's Storybook'' is a 1958-1961 American children's anthology series hosted and narrated by actress Shirley Temple. The series features adaptations of fairy tales like Mother Goose and other family-oriented stories performed by well ...
'': ''
Madeline
''Madeline'' is a media franchise that originated as a series of children's books written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans, an Austrian-American author. The books have been adapted into numerous formats, spawning telefilms, television series ...
'' (1960)
* ''
Grindl
''Grindl'' is an American situation comedy that began in fall 1963 on NBC, originally sponsored by Procter & Gamble. The show, starring Imogene Coca in the title role, lasted for one season.
Synopsis
Grindl (Coca) worked for Foster's Temporary E ...
'' (32 episodes 1963–1964)
* ''
It's About Time'' (18 episodes 1966–1967)
* ''The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special'' (1967)
* ''
The Carol Burnett Show
''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Har ...
'' (4 episodes 1967–1969)
* ''
Love, American Style'' (2 episodes 1970, 1972)
* ''
Bewitched'' (2 episodes 1971)
*''
Rod Serling's Night Gallery'' (The Merciful)- with husband, ''
King Donovan
King Donovan (January 25, 1918 – June 30, 1987) was an American film, stage, and television actor, as well as a film and television director.
Early years
Francis King Donovan was born in Manhattan on January 25, 1918. His parents were vaudev ...
''.
* ''
The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes'' (1972)
* ''
The Brady Bunch
''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, afte ...
'' (1972)
* ''The Incredible Incident at Independence Square''
* ''
Trapper John, M.D.
''Trapper John, M.D.'' is an American medical drama television series and spin-off of the film ''M*A*S*H'' (1970). Pernell Roberts portrayed the title character, a lovable surgeon who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, Californ ...
'' ("Quarantine" 1980)
* ''
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner
''Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner'' (aka ''Red Skelton's Christmas Dinner'') is a TV special that premiered on Home Box Office (HBO) on December 13, 1981. The program stars Red Skelton and was part of HBO's '' Standing Room Only'' seri ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Return of the Beverly Hillbillies
''Return of the Beverly Hillbillies'' is a 1981 American made-for-television comedy film based on the 1962–1971 sitcom ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' which reunited original cast members Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas and Nancy Kulp reprising their ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...
'' ("Curtain Call" 1983)
* ''
Mama's Family
''Mama's Family'' is an American sitcom television series starring Vicki Lawrence as Mama (Thelma Harper). The series is a spin-off of a recurring series of comedy sketches called " The Family" featured on ''The Carol Burnett Show'' (1967–78 ...
'' ("Aunt Gert Rides Again" 1983)
* ''
One Life to Live'' (cast member from 1983–1984)
* ''
As the World Turns
''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other s ...
'' (cast member in 1983)
* ''
Alice in Wonderland'' (1985)
* ''
Moonlighting
Moonlighting may refer to:
* Side job
A side job, also informally called a side hustle or side gig, is an additional job that a person takes in addition to their primary job in order to supplement their income. Side jobs may be done out of nec ...
'' ("Los Dos Dipestos" 1988)
* ''
Monsters
A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
'' ("The Face" 1989)
* ''
Garfield and Friends
''Garfield and Friends'' is an American animated television series based on the comic strip ''Garfield'' by Jim Davis. The show aired on CBS as part of its Saturday morning children's lineup from September 17, 1988 to December 10, 1994.
The sho ...
'' (Voice, 14 episodes 1994)
* ''
Comic Relief VI'' (1994)
Film
* ''Bashful Ballerina'' (1937)
* ''Dime a Dance'' (1937)
* ''They Meet Again'' (1941)
* ''
Promises! Promises!
''Promises! Promises!'' (presented as ''Promises... Promises!'' on screen) is a 1963 American sex comedy film directed by King Donovan and starring Tommy Noonan (who also served as coproducer) and Jayne Mansfield. Released at the end of the Produ ...
'' (1963)
* ''
Under the Yum Yum Tree
''Under the Yum Yum Tree'' is a 1963 American sex comedy film directed by David Swift and starring Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Dean Jones, and Edie Adams, with Imogene Coca, Paul Lynde, and Robert Lansing in supporting roles. The film received ...
'' (1963)
* ''10 from Your Show of Shows'' (1973)
* ''
Rabbit Test
The rabbit test, or Friedman test, was an early pregnancy test developed in 1931 by Maurice Friedman and Maxwell Edward Lapham at the University of Pennsylvania.
Test
The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is produced during pregna ...
'' (1978)
* ''
National Lampoon's Vacation
''National Lampoon's Vacation'', sometimes referred to as simply ''Vacation'', is a 1983 American road trip comedy film directed by Harold Ramis starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid, John Candy, and Christie Brink ...
'' (1983)
* ''
Nothing Lasts Forever'' (1984)
* ''
Papa Was a Preacher'' (1985)
* ''
Buy & Cell'' (1987)
* ''Hollywood: The Movie'' (1996)
* ''Her Alibi'' (1989) uncredited in court room
Broadway
* ''When You Smile'' (1925) Imogene
* ''Garrick Gaieties'' (1930)
* ''Shoot the Works'' (1931)
* ''Flying Colors'' (1932–1933) Jo-Jo, Miss Maris
* ''New Faces of 1934'' (1934, with
Henry Fonda
Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics.
Born and ra ...
)
* ''Fools Rush In'' (1934–1935)
* ''New Faces of 1936'' (1936)
* ''Who's Who'' (1938)
* ''
The Straw Hat Revue
''The Straw Hat Revue'' is a musical comedy revue with sketches mostly by Max Liebman and Samuel Locke, and music and lyrics by Sylvia Fine and James Shelton. It was produced on Broadway in 1939.
Production
''The Straw Hat Revue'' started life a ...
'' (1939, with
Danny Kaye,
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television.
Among his nu ...
)
* ''All In Fun'' (1940) Dancer, Esther, Mrs. Burton, Nymph, The Derelict
* ''Concert Varieties'' (1945)
* ''Janus'' (1955–1956) Jessica
* ''The Girls in 509'' (1958–1959) Mimsy
* ''
On The Twentieth Century
''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play ''Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce an ...
'' (1978–1979) Letitia Primrose
Music video
* ''Bag Lady'' (1984
EBN-OZN
Ēbn-Ōzn (pronounced EEBEN-OHZEN) was an American, 1980s New York based experimental New Wave synth pop duo, composed of Ned "Ebn" Liben ( synthesizer) and Robert "Ozn" Rosen ( organ, vocals). The duo who pioneered the sound recording techniq ...
)) The Bag Lady
Selected regional theater, national tours
* ''Bubbling Over'' (1926)
* ''
Queen High
''Queen High'' is the title of an American pre-Code musical comedy film, produced by Paramount Pictures in 1930. Based upon the 1926 stage musical ''Queen High'' that Buddy DeSylva, Lewis Gensler, and Laurence Schwab had adapted from Edward P ...
'' (1928)
* ''Up to the Stars'' (1935)
* ''Calling All Men'' (1937)
* ''A Night at the Folies Bergere'' (1940)
* ''
Happy Birthday'' (1948)
* ''
Wonderful Town
''Wonderful Town'' is a 1953 musical with book written by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Leonard Bernstein. The musical tells the story of two sisters who aspire to be a writer and act ...
'' (1954) Ruth
* ''The Great Sebastians'' (1957)
* ''
Once Upon a Mattress
''Once Upon a Mattress'' is a musical comedy with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in May 1959, and then moved to Broadway. The play was writte ...
'' (1960–61)
* ''
A Thurber Carnival
''A Thurber Carnival'' is a revue by James Thurber, adapted by the author from his stories, cartoons and casuals (humorous short pieces), nearly all of which originally appeared in ''The New Yorker''. It was directed by Burgess Meredith. Follow ...
'' (1961–62)
* ''Caesar-Coca Revue'' (1961–62)
* ''
Bells Are Ringing'' (1962)
* ''
Luv'' (1967)
* ''
You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running
''You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running'' is a collection of four unrelated one-act comedy plays by Robert Anderson.
In ''The Shock of Recognition'', playwright Jack Barnstable auditions Richard Pawling for a role that requires nudi ...
'' (1968–69)
* ''Why I Went Crazy'' (1969)
* ''A Girl Could Get Lucky'' (1970)
* ''
The Rivals
''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 episode of the T ...
'' (1972) Mrs. Malaprop
* ''
The Prisoner of Second Avenue
''The Prisoner of Second Avenue'' is a 1975 American black comedy film directed and produced by Melvin Frank and starring Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft. The film was adapted from the 1971 play by Neil Simon.
Plot
The story revolves around the es ...
'' (1973–74, with husband King Donovan)
* "
Plaza Suite
''Plaza Suite'' is a comedy play by Neil Simon.
Plot
The play is composed of three acts, each involving different characters but all set in Suite 719 of New York City's Plaza Hotel. The first act, ''Visitor From Mamaroneck'', introduces the au ...
" ( c. 1976 Tidewater Dinner Theatre of The Stars, with King Donovan)
* ''
Makin' Whoopee
"Makin' Whoopee" is a jazz/ blues song, first popularized by Eddie Cantor in the 1928 musical '' Whoopee!''. Gus Kahn wrote the lyrics and Walter Donaldson composed the music for the song as well as for the entire musical.
The title refers to ce ...
'' (1981, with
Mamie Van Doren
Mamie Van Doren (born Joan Lucille Olander; February 6, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and sex symbol. She is perhaps best known for the rock 'n' roll, juvenile delinquency exploitation film ''Untamed Youth'' (1957).
Early life
Van D ...
)
* ''
The Gin Game
''The Gin Game'' is a two-person, two-act play by Donald L. Coburn that premiered at American Theater Arts in Hollywood in September 1976, directed by Kip Niven. It was Coburn's first play, and the theater's first production. The play won the 197 ...
'' (1984)
* ''My Old Friends'' (1985)
* ''
On the Twentieth Century
''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play ''Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce an ...
'' (1986–87) Letitia Primrose
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coca, Imogene
1908 births
2001 deaths
Actresses from Philadelphia
American people of Spanish descent
American women comedians
American film actresses
American stage actresses
American voice actresses
American television actresses
Deaths from Alzheimer's disease
Deaths from dementia in Connecticut
Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners
Peabody Award winners
20th-century American actresses
American Roman Catholics
20th-century American comedians
California Democrats
Connecticut Democrats
Pennsylvania Democrats