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Author Topic: The Pickle Brothers  (Read 22858 times)
Aum Bop Diddit
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« Reply #75 on: November 10, 2016, 06:49:55 PM »

Dusting off this thread for a couple reasons.

First, earlier this year the Pickle Brothers' pilot for their unsold TV series wound up on Youtube -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIcODB6rc6Q

 put up there by Peter Lee from the group. Written (and produced) by Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso of Monkees fame as noted before, and directed by none other than future Oscar winner William Friedkin. Bouncy theme and incidental music by Quincy Jones. For some reason, neither him nor Billy Friedkin ever mention this credit in interviews.

The executive producer of the pilot, uncredited, was Michael Garrison who also created The Wild Wild West. He died falling down the stairs of his mansion shortly after it was made, apparently one reason the show didn't go into production for a full season.

Of the supporting cast I recognized only the name of Liliane Montevecchi who, as her Wiki page shows, has been in more impressive things than this.  But the Pickles' threads are kinda interesting - look like a Carnaby/Sy Devore blend, or something.

At the same time he put up the pilot Lee self-published this e-book,

https://www.amazon.com/Leave-Laughing-History-Brothers-Brother-ebook/dp/B01CMXT7BA/

which runs 126 pages and costs three bucks. I don't have Kindle so haven't read it and don't know if it covers the Pickles' BBs involvement.

A Milton Berle impression with a Jerry Lewis impression and a talking late period (permed no wig) Harpo Marx...thing.  I enjoyed in a way the 2 minutes I watched!
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« Reply #76 on: November 10, 2016, 07:10:47 PM »

Carl brought The Flame to Brother, Brian brought Redwood/Three Dog Night to Brother, Mike brought The Pickle Brothers. I guess A&R scouting wasn't his thing.
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« Reply #77 on: October 23, 2017, 08:13:16 AM »

Bumping this thread...Thanks to a random channel surf that landed on a cable network called "Decades" (great programming BTW), I finally got to see The Pickle Brothers' routine on video. It was the May 1967 appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, with the Temptations and Robert Goulet.

I'll just say - and no disrespect to the surviving members of the group - but I can see how and why these guys got booed and heckled off the stage at BB's shows. I know it's subjective and pure opinion, but what I saw them present on Sullivan which ostensibly would have been their "A Game" material since the Sullivan show could create a superstar by Monday morning if the act was good...it just wasn't funny.

I've been waiting a long time to actually see this act after researching and reading discussions like this, especially with the connection to Mike cutting two tracks with them and trying to get them onto the Brother roster and them opening for the band to what seemed like often disastrous results.

Just to set the stage, on Sullivan in May 67 I'm guessing this is pretty much a micro version of what Beach Boys audiences would have seen when they opened for the group.  They looked like they were trying to go for a weird update of the Marx Brothers, which is exactly the premise as described above in earlier posts...but to actually see it as a performance, it was a little off-putting.

The main Pickle was a dead ringer for Milton Berle, hell he even waved a cigar during the act, and he was the Groucho. The taller skinny Pickle wore horn-rimmed glasses and seemed to be going for the Chico part, a fast talker. And the Pickle who wrote the memoir mentioned above tried too hard to be Harpo. I mean, it was almost silly to see the schtick with the curly blonde hair and even a tuxedo sight gag straight from the Marx playbook.

They were manic, but at the same time it felt forced. Like they were looking for the next cue. The Harpo character was really 'working hard' for laughs, trying too hard to get laughs actually. The Chico character was the most stiff, and the Groucho/Uncle Milty brother just came off as a little arrogant especially with a cigar as a prop.

And yes, they did the "Dracula Skit", complete with cape and the Harpo guy flouncing about...it wasn't funny. I think the only giggles came from little kids in the CBS theater who were hoping Ed would have Topo Gigio on the 'shew' that evening.

Oh, and they even ended up singing a portion of whatever song quote they sang for Mike when he produced them for Brother. Don't know how that fit into their Sullivan revue, but it didn't fit on Mike's session either.

So...I finally saw it, and at least for me I can see why they really didn't go anywhere as a comedy team despite having industry connections out the Wazoo and a TV pilot helmed by one of the most creative teams in 60's television.

Still wondering what led to them cutting records for the Beach Boys' company, not on the surface because we know that, but what led them to being produced by Mike and cutting those awful tracks. Did people see humor in those tapes? Who knows.

Anyway, cross that one off my bucket list. I saw what I needed to see of the group that got heckled off the Beach Boys' stages.
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"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
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« Reply #78 on: October 25, 2017, 08:54:27 AM »

Normal bucket list

1) Sky dive
2) Swim with dolphins

Craig's bucket list

1)Watch Pickle Brothers perform on Ed Sullivan Show
2) Swim with dolphins
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« Reply #79 on: October 25, 2017, 09:40:12 AM »

Normal bucket list

1) Sky dive
2) Swim with dolphins

Craig's bucket list

1)Watch Pickle Brothers perform on Ed Sullivan Show
2) Swim with dolphins

 Grin Yep, that sums it up.

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"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
Debbie KL
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« Reply #80 on: October 25, 2017, 04:25:54 PM »

Normal bucket list

1) Sky dive
2) Swim with dolphins

Craig's bucket list

1)Watch Pickle Brothers perform on Ed Sullivan Show
2) Swim with dolphins

 LOL

 Grin Yep, that sums it up.


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