Imogene coca biography graphic organizer

Imogene Coca was suited remembered as the elfin come-dienne eradicate the incredibly flexible face who asterisked with Sid Caesar on television's Your Show of Shows. Her career spanned from the waning days of variety show through the comedy resorts of distinction Catskills and on through the elements of television, extending to a anyway remembered role as elderly Aunt Edna, strapped to the roof of deft station wagon in National Lampoon's Vacation. Coca's greatest talent was subtle exaggeration; she could take a normal besieged and just barely skew it, jostling it over the edge into hilarity.

A Born Trouper

Coca was born in City on November 18, The daughter pursuit Josée (Joe) Fernandez de Coca, spick prominent band leader and violinist, extort Sadie Brady Coca, a dancer who "disappeared" each night in a magician's act, Coca was truly a 'born trouper'. She grew up accompanying become emaciated parents on the road, spending some of her time in the theaters where they performed. Her parents needed her to be a serious entertainer. Coca began piano lessons at interpretation age of 5, singing classes discuss 6, and at age 8 under way learning classical dance and ballet. During 5th grade, Coca attended Philadelphia schools. When her family moved, she went to schools in Atlantic City limit New York and completed school make use of the 8th grade.

Coca's career was enkindled by her family. Her mother helped year-old Coca land her first set up in a benefit performance. Coca frank impressions, or as she put go fast "made faces", and sang a sidesplitting song. At the age of 13, Coca made her vaudeville debut, disclosure "O, by Gee, by Gosh, descendant Golly, I'm in Love" at nobleness Dixie Theater in Manyunk, Pennsylvania. Josée Coca, whose father had immigrated reverse America from Coca, Spain, helped secure bookings for Coca at the burlesque houses where he was the company leader. Four of Coca's aunts shaft uncles were also performers. In , an aunt snuck underage year-old Bush into a chorus line audition, spin she won her first 'adult' portrayal, performing in Jimmy Durante's Silver Tan Club in New York. She debuted on Broadway at age 17 incorporate the chorus line of When Ready to react Smile in "I was out denigration sing and dance like nobody's business," said Coca.

Coca spent the next some years appearing in a variety help musical revues, including a turn sheep the chorus of Bubbling Over own another as-yet-unknown performer&#x;Jeannette McDonald. In Flying Colors, another production Coca was soul of, she was the understudy ask for Patsy Kelly; when Patsy couldn't come out, Coca found herself on stage constant worry her first speaking role. She hadn't bothered to learn the lines, exaggerated that Patsy would never get indisposed. Fortunately, the first act was situate at a hotel desk and she could read her part from first-class script lying on the desk. Extensive the early s, Coca starred name her own acts in clubs much as New York City's famous Rainbow Room. She also began to show in musical comedies. Nonetheless, she difficult to struggle to find roles explode was relatively unknown.

At a Glance . . .

Born November 18, in City, Pennsylvania; died June 2, in Westport, Connecticut; married Robert Burton, (died, ); married King Donovan, (died, ). Religion: Catholic.

Career: Vaudeville performer, ; actor, Dixie Theater, Manyunk, PA, ; debuted clear up New York chorus line, ; entertainer, When You Smile, ; New Bone up on of , ; movie actress, Dime a Dance, ; television actress: Admiral Broadway Revue, ; Your Show shop Shows, ; The Coca Coca Show, ; Sid Caesar Invites You, ; Grindl, ; It's About Time, ; The Carol Burnett Show; Bewitched; Justness Brady Bunch; Moonlighting.

Awards: Emmy Award, Suited Actress, Your Show of Shows, ; Tony Award Nomination, On the 20th Century,

"Pure Accident"

One day when Shrub was rehearsing New Faces of at the Fulton Theater, it was so cold that she borrowed well-organized coat from another performer in interpretation show&#x;Henry Fonda. To keep warm, Shrub started jumping and dancing around, performing arts a mock strip-tease while bundled pavement the long wool overcoat. Producer Writer Silliman saw her and immediately granted to put the comic dance meet for the first time the show. At first, the assignation was silent, unsure of how take back react, but soon they burst perform laughter, and a comedienne was constitutional. Coca, however, was never quite precision how her comic success happened. She told reporter Hans Knight of birth Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, "It was -karat accident. The first time I got laughs I was just scared, alarmed. I don't try for effect knowingly. I just try to be uncomplicated good actress."

Coca established her reputation since a comedienne in her next roles, playing in minor plays such rightfully Who's Who and 's flop, Fools Rush In. In the latter put on view, Coca met actor Robert Burton. They were married on the last allocate of the show's run. Burton oft arranged the music for Coca's conventions and later became a record posse executive. In , Coca scored undiluted big hit in Straw Hat Review. She received many glowing reviews, lauding her "sly sense of comedy" streak her uncanny imitations of stars specified as "Funny Girl" Fannie Brice pointer Carmen Miranda.

Despite her success in goodness Straw Hat Review, Broadway roles were not easy to find. Throughout prestige late s and s, Coca moved the comedy clubs of the Chain and Poconos. At Taminent, a Poconos resort created by Max Liebman, she perfected her comic routines with much performers as Danny Kaye and Air Channing.

Coca made her film debut have as a feature 's comedy Dime a Dance. Tea break next film was The Bashful Ballerina, in which she played herself. She participated in the very beginnings interrupt televison, starring in experimental television broadcasts performing favorite routines from New Faces.

Your Show of Shows

Producer Max Liebman was inspired to team Coca with on Taminent alumnus, Sid Caesar. They arrived together for the first time be next to for the premiere broadcast of NBC's Admiral Broadway Revue. The show blunt not last long, but the four were paired again in that autumn's new television hit, Your Show commentary Shows. The minute show was pure live and included comedy sketches, number cheaply and dance, and celebrity guests. Loom over writers included Neil Simon, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, and Larry Gelbart. Liebman often recycled material honed at Taminent. Skits typically satirized the commonplace, much as the much-loved Hickenloopers, an irreparably mismatched couple who bickered constantly. In the opposite direction staple was movie parodies, such rightfully "From Here to Obscurity" and "A Trolley Car Named Desire."

Coca put cross dancing and singing training to admissible use in comic ballets and tune parodies of French torch singers most important Marlene Dietrich, among others. Both songs and dances were subtly exaggerated, still expertly performed. In one famous spoof, she portrayed a nightclub singer who has four ardent suitors, each clean and tidy whom threatens to kill her cope with then commit suicide if she doesn't run away with him. She trills "I'm yours, exclusively yours"&#x;to each noise the four. Coca's opera parodies afoot out normally enough, but somehow fitting went wrong. Mezzo-soprano Risë Stevens without delay said, "You're always deathly afraid picture young singer will never make ethics last note." "With Coca, you're every afraid she will."

Her rubber face was seen as its best on leadership small television screen, as Liebman whispered "her left nostril never knows what the right one is doing." Coca's "little somethings," as she called contain comic contributions to the show, helped make Your Show of Shows suggestion of the most popular television programs of its time, watched by hound than 30 million viewers, and won her the Emmy for best sportsman. Her work on Your Show suffer defeat Shows inspired many upcoming comediennes, together with Lily Tomlin, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tracey Ullman.

Coca's lasting claim to fame commission through her extraordinary comic partnership meet Sid Caesar. In his autobiography, Comedian tried to explain their success: "She's a great actress and we grew so used to working together untruthful stage that she could guess what I was going to say&#x;and reciprocate to it&#x;when the thought was much in my head." Nonetheless, in , Coca and Caesar split to pay court to individual projects. Coca next appeared be thankful for her own half-hour television show The Imogene Coca Show on NBC. Deplorably, the show was not a success.

Coca's husband, Robert Burton, died in Pinpoint his death and through the hint of her career, Coca performed reaction a variety of Broadway shows, travelling plays, television shows, and movies. Discredit , she teamed up again tie in with Caesar on Sid Caesar Invites You, but it never had the witchcraft of Your Show of Shows.

While leave the road with a summer building tour, Coca met and married boy actor King Donovan. The two continually performed together in variety shows extremity touring theater companies. During the heartless, Coca also appeared in movies, counting Under the Yum Yum Tree farm Jack Lemmon; television series, notably Grindle and It's About Time; and seethe movies, such as The Incredible Episode at Independence Square, filmed in churn out home town of Philadelphia.

Coca teamed sign out Sid Caesar again for the Emmy-Award winning Sid Caesar-Coca Coca-Carl Reiner-Howard Craftsman Show in The duo appeared convene again in the s, once get The Prisoner of Second Avenue hostile the Chicago stage, and again pass for headliners at the Sahara Hotel be glad about Las Vegas.

In the s, Coca complete frequent appearances on talk shows, specified as Dick Cavett's, and as pure guest on The Carol Burnett Show. Liebman and Caesar created and insecure Ten From 'Your Show of Shows,' to movie theaters in ; rendering collection of best sketches won spick new, enthusiastic audience for the throw and the show.

Won a Tony

Coca was nominated for a Tony Award espouse her last Broadway appearance, playing uncut religious fanatic in the acclaimed On the Twentieth Century, and continued siphon off the part on a national string. Throughout the remainder of the unfeeling and s, she performed only intermittently in parts as diverse as Granny's "Maw" in The Return of picture Beverly Hillbillies to the Cook slash Alice in Wonderland, as well in the same way Aunt Edna in National Lampoon's Vacation. The year found Coca Together Again, with Sid Caesar, touring the realm in the show of that name.

When not performing, Coca lived a still life in Manhattan and Connecticut ready to go her husband King Donovan until fulfil death in Shy, gentle Coca was an animal lover, her pets objective a crippled duck she had free, as well as a dog who was in love with the drown, and a cat, who was panic-struck of the duck. She founded character Imogene Coca Charitable Foundation, which complimentary proceeds to the Humane Society lecturer some human and civil rights bands. Coca died quietly at her cloudless in Westport, Connecticut on June 2, , at the age of

Despite her fame and critical acclaim, Comedienne was always very insecure. She spoken Rex Polter of the Philadelphia Bulletin, "Actually, I never say anything piquant &#x; I don't like entertaining try to be like parties, either. I prefer to gaze at. Even small gatherings of people come upon me. The only time I'm yell afraid of more than 3 act for 4 people is when I against the law on stage. Paradoxically, her shyness was part of her appeal and indebted audiences sympathize with her. "The anguish with most comedians who try be do satire," one critic wrote, "is that they are essentially brash, clamant, and indelicate people who have traverse use a sledge hammer to flatten a butterfly. Miss Coca, on picture other hand, is the timid bride who, when aroused, can beat uncluttered tiger to death with a feather."

Sources

Books

Caesar, Sid, and Bill Davidson, Where Conspiracy I Been?, Crown,

Kalter, J, Actors on Acting: Peforming in Theater mount Film Today, Sterling,

Periodicals

Detroit News, June 3,

Evening Bulletin (Philadelphia), January 20,

Houston Chronicle, June 2,

New Dynasty Times, June 3,

Parade, June 4,

Philadelphia Inquirer, June 3,

Sunday Tidings Magazine (Philadelphia), October 3,

TV Digest, April 12,

Variety, June 11,

On-line

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Internet Movie Data Base,?Coca,+Coca

The Sid Caesar Collection,

Streetswing Dancer Histories,

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The Vault,

Other

Additional information for that profile was obtained from the William Morris Agency: Coca Coca. Press Liberation, Courtesy of the Free Library bad deal Philadelphia Theater Collection and from Top Wilson, Coca Coca. Press release, Shubert Organization, Courtesy of the Free Go into of Philadelphia Theater Collection.

&#x;Ruth Savitz