Jackie Vernon (comedian)
| Jackie Vernon | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Ralph Verrone March 29, 1924 Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 1987 (aged 63) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, actor, voice actor |
| Years active | 1950–1987 |
| Spouse(s) | Hazel Vernon (m. ?–1987; his death) |
Jackie Vernon (born Ralph Verrone on March 29, 1924 – November 10, 1987) was an American stand-up comedian, actor and voice actor who supplied the voice of Frosty the Snowman in the Rankin/Bass Productions Christmas special Frosty the Snowman and its sequel Frosty's Winter Wonderland.
He was born Ralph Verrone on March 29, 1924 in Manhattan, New York City.
Vernon was known for his gentle, low-key delivery and self-deprecating humor. He has been hailed as "The King of Deadpan." His signature opening line was, "To look at me now, it's hard to believe I was once considered a dull guy."
Early on in the 1950s, according to Dick Brooks, Vernon bounced around the country working whatever jobs he could find, mostly in strip joints. Even then he had a unique style, often cracking up members of the band with his inside humor. He decided to give New York a try, and hung around Hanson's Drug Store, a place where small-time comedians and acts in the theater section of New York would meet after making the rounds of agents who had their offices in the area. He was picked up by manager of comedians Willie Weber. Jackie tried out for a comedy TV talent show that was popular at the time, and his career went into overdrive.
In the 1960s, Jackie occasionally worked as the opening act for both Dean Martin and Judy Garland and was a regular fixture on the Merv Griffin show, where he informed the host that his original stage name had been "Nosmo King," which he had seen on a sign (i.e. "no smoking"). He would take up a topic like prisons in a monologue and begin with, "Hello, prison fans."
Vernon was also known to perform unique and darker sketches, such as his ultimately tragic attempt to turn a watermelon into a housepet. Plagued by strange occurrences and misfortune, Jackie would tell of traveling all the way to see the Grand Canyon, only to find it was closed. Then there was the time he went to see a fistfight, and it broke out into a hockey game.
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