Who Am I? July 2020

I believe I was born in Brooklyn to Polish-German-Jewish immigrants though sometimes my facts are a little fuzzy. I know for sure that my mom worked in a garment industry sweatshop.

I never did get to graduate high school but I’ve done alright for myself. I’ve sometimes alleged that I worked as a salesman, a store ‘dick,’ a circus performer, a hot dog vendor, a pool room manager, a children’s book author, a Ph.D. psychologist, a union organizer, and a merchant marine sailor. Some of those things may be true and some may not because I have always been a hustler and a self-promoter.

What is absolutely true is that I have worked both burlesque and vaudeville. I had a knack for spotting basketball talent and occasionally served as an unofficial “B.B.”scout.  I have TV, theatre and movie credits. I starred in two sit-coms in the 1960’s. I’ve run a successful restaurant and ran comedy clubs in Staten Island and in Yonkers. In my later life you might have seen me make a personal appearance at nostalgic conventions because I worked those conventions in north Jersey. I also showed up the 1996 NCAA tournament in E. Rutherford. My kisser is a hard one to forget!

I have been a left-wing social activist for years. I am against the death penalty, against police brutality and for the reform of drug laws. I am an advocate for the legalization of marijuana.  I am not afraid to put my reputation on the line or back up my big mouth with action. In fact, I once ran for governor of the Empire State.

That’s part of my very recognizable face in the photo below. I could be your grandpa, couldn’t I? (1)Who am I? (2a)What 2 sit-coms am I most associated with? (2b)What tall actor co-starred with me in those 2 sit-coms? (3)What was my address in that latter sit-com? (4)I had my own radio show. On which station was it? (5)What was the name of my restaurant and on what street was it located?