Humorist Stan Freberg died last week at the age of 88. He pioneered the satire of pop culture, as well as the use of music, radio, television, and recordings to do so. He is also considered the father of funny advertising. He was the son and grandson of Baptist ministers. After the jump, excerpts from his obituary, including accounts of some of his funny bits.
From Matt Schudel, Stan Freberg, antic visionary of comedy and advertising, dies at 88 – The Washington Post:
Stan Freberg, a mutifaceted humorist who was widely known in the 1950s and 1960s for his comedy albums, satirical songs and groundbreaking commercials, and who influenced generations of subversive, irreverent comedians, died April 7 at a hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 88.
His family confirmed his death to news organizations. He had pneumonia and other ailments.
Mr. Freberg was a protean force in humor for decades and was sometimes known as the “father of recorded comedy” for the way he used music, mockery and multiple voices to lampoon politics and popular culture. . . .
In 1951, he released a best-selling comedy record, “John and Marsha,” a soap-opera spoof consisting only of the names “John” and “Marsha,” spoken in every possible emotional state for more than two minutes.
The recording was considered scandalous by some bluenoses, who believed Mr. Freberg had hidden a microphone in a honeymoon suite. In reality, he voiced both parts himself, adding sobs, soaring music and increasing ardor with each “John” and “Marsha.” . . .
Mr. Freberg’s landmark 1961 album, “The United States of America,” recreated the nation’s history in exaggerated comic and musical form, beginning with Columbus’s arrival on these shores. The explorer hoped to take out a loan to open an Italian restaurant, only to find the banks closed because it was Columbus Day.
His comedy records routinely hit the Top 40, and his 1953 spoof of the radio and TV drama “Dragnet” sold 2 million copies. Set in medieval times, “St. George and the Dragonet” captured the just-the-facts-ma’am style of “Dragnet”:“This is the countryside. My name is St. George. I’m a knight. Saturday, July 10th, 8:05 p.m. I was working out at the castle on the night watch when a call came in from the chief: A dragon had been devouring maidens. Homicide. My job: Slay ’em.” . . . .
In addition to being a popular comedy performer, Mr. Freberg had a surprising second career, beginning in the 1950s, as a revolutionary force in advertising. He was often credited with creating the first funny commercials, using humor and irony to sell everything from prunes to automobiles. . . .He won more than 20 Clio awards for advertising, but his iconoclastic approach was not universally popular, especially at first. He advertised an airline by playing off the fear of flying, suggesting that even the pilots were afraid to go up in the air. The flight attendants handed out security blankets and good-luck charms to passengers.He sold Sunsweet prunes by emphasizing that they had no pits.
“How do they do it?”
“They do it.”
The commercial ended with the announcer solemnly intoning, “Today, the pits, tomorrow the wrinkles.”
Stanley Victor Freberg was born Aug. 7, 1926, in Los Angeles. He was the son and grandson of Baptist ministers.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In