I loved this guy. He WAS the only Mr.McAffey. Such a terrific job singing, "Kids." His snarly deliveries were priceless. I read a book about him and he sure had a rough time in his life. He always battled his weight and he was quoted as saying that when he was a kid, he and his family would sit down to lunch and the main topic of conversation was about what they were going to have for dinner, and that the beverage of choice was always gravy. I miss him. :(
shareI think this was definitely Lynde's best film appearance. He defines the word "snarky." A coupla times I fast-forwarded thru the tape just to watch his scenes. His expression of glee, mania and greed near the end of "Hymn for a Sunday Evening" is one of my all-time favorite movie moments.
shareI loved Paul in everything he was in. Always made me crack up.
sharePip Chick,
I was just watching his halloween special from Oct 1976. Its a must see. He does a bastardized version of the song "Kids" in this show. I also got a clip from a 1977 telecast of the Donnie and Marie show with him in it. I think he was on it every week.
Most people know he was on Hollywood squares and bewitched, but many dont know that he was also in a couple of Doris Day's last movies, and he was on television non stop in the 70's. I'm going to try to collect some of his television appearances.
Would love to find episodes of STANLEY, a sitcom that starred Buddy Hackett and Carol Burnett, circa 1955. Apparently, Paul Lynde was heard (never seen) as Hackett's demanding boss.
shareThe expressions on his face during the "Kids" number, when Mama Mae starts conversing with her husband goes beyond priceless. Also the affirming look he has after she squeezes between him and his wife, and is asked what her husband does for a liveing! "I don't know, he's dead, His look, priceless!
shareActually, his weight problem wasn't his only hurdle. He was gay actor, so he had a struggle to hide that as well.
There is no "off" position on the genius switch.
The only people who didn't know Paul Lynde was gay were the same ones who thought Liberace was straight.
Lynde really didn't try to hide it, he just disarmed people by beating them to the punchline and keeping his true private life private. If you ever watched him on Hollywood Squares it was a running theme he hysterically perpetuated.
Everybody "knew" but nobody really cared...he was funny as hell.
One of the funniest lines ever on Hollywood Squares was when the question was "What do you call it when you're playing with 16 balls on a green table?". Lynde paused, looked straight at the camera, and said "The makings of a really fun night".
His manic laugh at the end of "Hymn for a Sunday Night" always cracked me up. "Ed, I love you!"
shareHe's one of my favorite actors. I miss him.
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