Morty Gunty

Morty Gunty (February 1, 1929 – July 15, 1984) was an American actor and comedian, a well-known New York City nightclub comic in the 1960s and 1970s.

Gunty attended Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York.[1] He was born and died in the Parkville section of Brooklyn.[2] He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 23, 1964, leading into the Beatles before their third and final appearance on the program.

In addition to being a nightclub comic, in the mid-1960s, he hosted a 90-minute weekday afternoon children's television series on WOR-TV New York called The Funny Company. Gunty also appeared on Broadway in 1967.[3][unreliable source?][4] He played Buddy Sorrell in the original pilot for The Dick Van Dyke Show, which was entitled Head of the Family and starred writer/creator Carl Reiner in the lead role with an entirely different cast. He also played Ann Marie's agent, a former comedian, in several episodes of That Girl. He played himself in the Woody Allen film Broadway Danny Rose.[3]

Death

Gunty died of cancer on July 15, 1984, aged 55, in Brooklyn, New York. He was survived by his wife, Marilyn; two daughters, a brother; and his parents, Belle and Abraham Gunty.[3]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1968 What's So Bad About Feeling Good? Sgt. Gunty
1984 Broadway Danny Rose Morty Gunty (final film role)

References

  1. ^ Nachman, Gerald (26 August 2009). Seriously Funny: The Rebel Comedians of the 1950s and 1960s. Knopf Doubleday Publishing. ISBN 9780307490728.
  2. ^ "The Great Jewish Comedians: Morty Gunty, Nightclub and TV Stand-Up Comic". www.jewishhumorcentral.com.
  3. ^ a b c Profile, imdb.com; accessed September 29, 2017.[unreliable source?]
  4. ^ "MORTY GUNTY". The New York Times. 17 July 1984.