Shecky Greene was a legendary comedian known for his headlining shows in Las Vegas.
- Died: December 31, 2023 (Who else died on December 31?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Las Vegas of natural causes at the age of 97.
- We invite you to share condolences for Shecky Greene in our Guest Book.
Shecky Greene’s legacy
Born Fred Sheldon Greenfield, Greene didn’t plan to be a comedian – after serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he entered college with the goal of becoming a gym teacher. But a summer job at a resort changed the trajectory of his life when he began doing standup with coworker Sammy Shore (1927–2019). In the 1940s and ‘50s, Greene took his act to nightclubs in Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, and elsewhere before doing his first Las Vegas gigs in 1954. Soon, he was headlining.
Greene’s act was a varied one and often improvised so he never performed the same routine twice. He did impressions, told jokes, sang, and riffed on situations that arose during his shows. In addition to performing for live audiences, he was a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” as well as Carson’s occasional guest host. He also performed and guest hosted for Merv Griffin on “The Merv Griffin Show.” He was a staple of ‘70s game shows like “Hollywood Squares,” “Match Game,” and “Tattletales.”
Greene also acted in movies and TV shows. In the Mel Brooks comedy “History of the World, Part 1,” he played soldier Marcus Vindictus in the Roman Empire segment. His other movies included “Tony Rome,” “Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood,” and “Splash.” He briefly had a main role on the World War II TV series “Combat!” and he had guest appearances on such shows as “The Love Boat,” “Laverne and Shirley,” “The A-Team,” “Roseanne,” and “Mad About You.”
Notable quote
“Life is strange, but if you’ve had a mixture of a life like I had, it’s all right.” —from a 2017 interview for the Washington Times
Tributes to Shecky Greene
Full obituary: The New York Times
