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Paul Lynde. 1926-1982.

Greetings ~

Back in the 1960s, one of the hardest working actors, it seemed, was Paul Lynde. He was in just about everything comedy related. Every time I watched him on the screen, I laughed my behind off. This was one funny guy.
He had a great part on the TV show, The Munsters as Dr. Dudley. Then he showed up on F-Troop and stole the show. He was on variety shows, specials, it seemed that everyone on TV wanted him on their shows. I think his biggest spot was on Bewitched as Uncle Arthur. This is where his comedy style came through the best with all his sight gags.
At the time, everyone knew that Paul was homosexual, but no one cared. He wasn't like other gay actors, he actually used it to his advantage on the programs. And it worked!
I was never a big game show fan. To me, games shows are boring. Plus, why would I want to see OTHERS win money? But I always watched the Hollywood Squares just because Paul Lynde was on it. His answers always generated a good laugh for me. Paul was simply a funny, funny guy. None of us had any idea how much he struggled with homosexuality. I remember in 1982 when I heard that he had died, it was a bad time. We had lost a great comic actor.
If there's any good thing about an actor's death, it's only that we can still go on watching them. Their image never really dies. So, I still laugh my head off every time I see Paul Lynde on TV. Uncle Arthur and Dr. Dudley and the others will never die. What a shame he had to die at such a young age. But he still brings laughter to those who watch him on the old re-runs.
I had missed the Paul Lynde show originally. I was in the Army when it aired. It only lasted for one season. Recently I saw several episodes of the show on Youtube. It's terrible! The 1970s produced some good shows like All in the Family, the Jeffersons, etc. But it also produced a lot of duds. This was one of them. The writing was terrible. If only Paul could have had better writers and a better cast, the show may have been remembered as a really funny program. Too bad.
But I will always remember Paul Lynde as one of my very favorite comics. He can still make me laugh without even trying. Thanks Paul!