Mitzi McCall, Comedian, Actress and Sitcom Writer, Dies at 93

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Mitzi McCall, Comedian, Actress and Sitcom Writer, Dies at 93

As I delve into the captivating tale of Mitzi McCall, a woman who graced our screens and stages with her wit, charm, and resilience, I find myself deeply moved by her incredible journey. Her life is a testament to the power of determination, adaptability, and the indomitable human spirit.

Actress and sitcom writer Mitzi McCall, known for her charming performances and collaborations with her husband Charlie Brill in a comedy sketch act that appeared during breaks by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, has passed away at the age of 93.

McCall passed away on Thursday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, as her family confirmed.

The petite woman from Pittsburgh appeared as Jerry’s mom’s fur coat-wearing dry cleaner’s wife in the “The Secretary” episode of Seinfeld in 1994, and she portrayed the mother of Carol Leifer’s optometrist character on the WB sitcom Alright Already from 1997 to 1998.

McCall flourished in her voiceover profession, lending her voice to characters such as Mother Goose on “Mother Goose and Grimm,” and participating in various animated productions like “The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show,” “Paw Paws,” “Darkwing Duck,” “Yo Yogi!”, and “Ice Age” (2002).

She wrote scripts for television series like “13 Queens Boulevard”, “Eight Is Enough”, “One Day at a Time”, “ALF”, “Mr. Belvedere”, “Charles in Charge” and “Free for All”.

In January 1960, she got married to Brill, and they frequently collaborated on various projects. Besides their act at McCall & Brill, they portrayed a quarrelsome couple on the second season (1968-69) of NBC’s Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, where they played roles in “The Fun Couple” sketches. They also appeared together on shows like Tattletales and Match Game. In the CBS-USA crime drama series, Silk Stalkings, created by Stephen J. Cannell, they played roles as a couple – she portrayed Fran, the carefree wife of Brill’s character, Capt. Harry Lipschitz.

“Brill stated that Fran stands by Harry, assisting him in locating a ray of hope amidst his struggles, particularly when he believes that ‘light’ refers to an approaching train.”

The duo believed they’d struck gold when their manager secured an opportunity for them – a chance to appear live on CBS’s renowned “The Ed Sullivan Show” as part of their national television debut, scheduled for February 9, 1964, with Mace Neufeld, future producer of the hit film “Hunt for Red October,” overseeing the project.

It turned out to be unfortunate for McCall & Brill, as that day happened to be when The Beatles were making their U.S. debut on the show. Consequently, they found themselves met with a sea of screaming teenagers who were there to witness the Fab Four, but mostly silence was their response. In a 2005 episode of NPR’s This American Life, McCall admitted, “They didn’t express it then, but we weren’t very good.”

Mitzi Steiner, born on September 9, 1930, in Pittsburgh, captivated audiences with her pantomime performances on WDTV’s Kiddie Castle. A remarkable event occurred when a young girl with a cleft palate watched the show, and soon started speaking fluently. The girl’s mother attributed this transformation to Mitzi Steiner, stating to a newspaper reporter in 1952 that “if anyone has directly contributed to Claire speaking properly, it is Mitzi Steiner.”

Steiner, standing at just 4 feet 11 inches tall, had previously acted at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Upon moving to Hollywood, she secured a meeting with influential agent Mitchell Gertz through Bob Hope’s wife, Dolores. It so happened that Gazala, Dolores’ mother, was acquainted with the Hopes.

In 2015, she shared on the “The Mild Adventures of Fred Stoller” podcast, “He told me, ‘If you manage to lose 10 pounds, I’d consider signing you.’ Amazingly, I shed those 10 pounds in just 10 days. When I returned, he said, ‘Anyone capable of that swift weight loss, I will sign right away.'”

In the employ of Paramount Pictures, she appeared on screen for the first time as a character named Skeets, a schoolgirl, in Norman Taurog’s 1955 film “You’re Never Too Young“, which was a remake of Billy Wilder’s classic “The Major and the Minor“, with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in the leading roles.

Mitzi McCall, Comedian, Actress and Sitcom Writer, Dies at 93

McCall made appearances in three films of 1958: “War of the Satellites,” “Machine-Gun Kelly,” and “The Cry Baby Killer.” Later, she became a part of Jerry Lewis’ Comedy Workshop based at Paramount, where she first encountered Brill. It was during Brill’s audition that he impressed with an old-style comic burlesque act performed alongside Mel Berger.

Afterward, McCall teamed up with Joan Shawlee, a 6-foot-3 actress known for roles like Sweet Sue in Some Like It Hot and Pickles on The Dick Van Dyke Show, for a comedy tour across the country. However, when Shawlee departed, Brill stepped in to fill her shoes, and together, they landed their first gig – opening for Gary Crosby at the Slate Brothers nightclub in Los Angeles, following some minor script adjustments.

In 1962, the duo, who were signed by William Morris, made appearances on Vic Damone’s summer musical variety show titled “The Lively Ones” as well as “The Tonight Show”. Throughout their career, they would go on to open for renowned artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Marlene Dietrich, and Ann-Margret. However, in 1972, tragedy struck when the Swedish entertainer they had been warming up for fell off a stage at Lake Tahoe, breaking several bones in her face.

To secure a spot on “Laugh-In,” McCall consistently called producer George Schlatter daily for weeks. It wasn’t until Schlatter lost a game of pool to Neufeld and had to honor his bet by hiring them that they became regulars. However, they were not permitted to collaborate with the other cast members and were limited to their “Fun Couple” skits, as she explained.

Initially, they made an appearance in the second season of “Silk Stalkings” portraying distinct characters. Later on, in 1993, they became part of the show’s cast, taking on the roles of Fran and Harry Lipschitz, set within Palm Beach, Florida.

Following the call confirming their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, McCall and Brill selected their content and rehearsed it at The Horn nightclub in Santa Monica. As he put it, “The response was wonderful! And we couldn’t keep it to ourselves. In fact, I might have even spelled it out over Hollywood: We’re on The Ed Sullivan Show. Hey there!”

At Studio 50 in Manhattan, they performed their act during rehearsals specifically for Sullivan. However, the host summoned them to his private room. According to McCall’s recollection, he stated, “What you’re presenting is delightful, but it’s not suitable for tonight’s show.” He explained, “Tonight’s audience is composed of 14-year-old children.”

Later on, Sullivan made changes to their performance, choosing specific actions for them to perform. As they hurriedly adapted, John Lennon dropped by, borrowed a dime from Brill, and purchased a soda from the vending machine located within their changing area.

Then they were given perhaps the worst slot on the show.

The Beatles were scheduled as both the opening and closing acts for the show. They started with “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” and “She Loves You,” followed by six other performances. These included Dutch magician Fred Kaps, the cast of Broadway’s Oliver!, featuring future Monkees star Davy Jones; impressionist Frank Gorshin; Welsh banjo player Tessie O’Shea; the tumbling acrobats Wells & the Four Fays; and McCall & Brill. By the end of these performances, the crowd was eagerly anticipating The Beatles’ return.

During their 3 minutes and half performance, Brill portrayed a movie director seeking actresses, with Mitzi playing his secretary. Three women – an enthusiastic newcomer, a stage mother, and a Method actor – were the hopeful auditionees. McCall’s spontaneous joke about insects (specifically beetles) garnered the most laughter. Unlike other instances when Sullivan would typically praise them for a successful performance, he didn’t summon them this time.

Mitzi McCall, Comedian, Actress and Sitcom Writer, Dies at 93

Approximately 73 million Americans, which is around 40% of the nation, tuned in to watch. Despite the youthful viewership, they were confident that if they’d performed their intended act, it would have been a hit.

They felt deeply saddened, yet Gorshin treated them with a drink at Sardi’s, assuring them that life would continue. However, upon returning home, they went without word from their agent for an entire half-year.

“Brill mentioned that we were unaware of our own greatness. Strangers would approach us, asking if we’d appeared on The Beatles’ show, to which we’d respond affirmatively, anticipating criticism. Instead, they’d exclaim, ‘You’re famous!'”

Her first husband was Jack Tolen, her director on Kiddie Castle.

Besides Brill, who is famously recognized for his role as Klingon Arne Darvin in the “Star Trek” episode titled “The Trouble With Tribbles,” those who survived are his daughter Jennifer Brill, a yoga instructor; her nieces, talent agent Toni Howard at ICM Partners and author Wendy Goldberg, wife of TV producer Leonard Goldberg; and two godchildren, actresses Melissa Gilbert and Sara Gilbert, both sisters.

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2024-08-10 02:55