Alan Sues | |
---|---|
Born |
Alan Grigsby Sues March 7, 1926 Ross, California, U.S. |
Died | December 1, 2011 West Hollywood, California, U.S. |
(aged 85)
Occupation | Actor, comedian |
Years active | 1953–2011 |
Television | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In |
Spouse(s) | Phyllis Gehrig (m. 1953; div. 1958) |
Alan Grigsby Sues (March 7, 1926 – December 1, 2011) was an American actor widely known for his roles on the 1968–1973 television series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Alan's on-screen persona was campy, outrageous and contained verbal slapstick. Typical of his humor was a skit that found him following a pair of whiskey-drinking cowboys to a Wild West bar and requesting a frozen daiquiri. His recurring characters on the program included "Big Al the Sportscaster" and "Uncle Al the Kiddie's Pal".
Alan Grigsby Sues was born on March 7, 1926, in Ross, California, to Alice (née Murray) and Melvyn Sues, who raised racehorses, requiring the family to move frequently. He served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II.
Sues used his GI Bill benefits to pay for acting lessons at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he performed, later making his Broadway debut in the stage play Tea and Sympathy, directed by Elia Kazan, which had a successful run in New York City beginning in 1953. During this period, he met and married Phyllis Gehrig, a dancer and actress, subsequently starting a vaudevillian nightclub act in Manhattan — with which they toured North America before divorcing in 1958.
After touring the country with his wife, he got more work in stand-up comedy (at Reuben Bleu and Blue Angel, both clubs in Manhattan), worked with Julius Monk, and joined an improv/sketch group with The Mad Show, which led to his being cast in Laugh-In. Outside of Laugh-In, he appeared in the classic Twilight Zone episode "The Masks", in a non-comedic role. He also had supporting roles in the films Move Over, Darling (1963) and The Americanization of Emily (1964).