Harry Einstein Collection

Harry Einstein
(1904 – 1958)

Making fun of others is sometimes considered a rather mean spirited form of comedy, but the fact is that sometimes it is done with love and respect. When this is the case, the comic not only wins the respect and admiration of his audience, but the target of his lampoon as well. Very few radio comics were as good at making fun of others that Harry Einstein, even though some would argue that it eventually killed him.

Harry Einstein was a Boston native, the son of an Austrian pawnbroker (and cousin to the famous physicist, Albert Einstein). Harry got his creative start as a Boston newspaper reporter and as advertising director for the Kane Furniture Company, but he discovered his true calling when he began appearing on local radio shows as Greek politician Nick Parkyakarkus (read: "Park yer carcass", or "Sit down!"). The character was based on Greek immigrants he had met through his father's business. Although there were plenty of "dialect humor" specialists, few had Harry's writing talents to create new material to keep their character fresh. Eddie hired him as a gag writer and an on air foil for The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1934. The show switched sponsors several times over the next several years, but he kept Parkyakarkus on his staff for as long as he could.

The Parkyakarkus character proved to be so popular that Einstein petitioned to have his name legally changed to match his character. The New York judge who heard the case disapproved the idea, even though Harry argued that if not for Parkyakarkus, no one would know who he was! Einstein was often billed as Harry Parke, and his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame names Parkyakarkus.

Some historians have given Cantor the lion's share of credit for Einstein's success, but this discounts the 11 film's Parkyakarkus made between 1936 and 1945. Of course, not all of these films would be considered classics. RKO's New Faces of 1937 was considered an official flop, even with the talents of Milton Berle, Parkyakarkus and his Cantor-stablemate Joe Penner. The film lost $258,000, but Einstein met and fell in love with singer/actress Thelma Leeds during the production. They were married and had three sons; actor/director Albert Brooks, Bob Einstein ("Super Dave Osborne") and attorney Clifford Einstein.

Parky also appeared on Al Jolson's Lifebuoy Program, along with his already popular malapropisms adding the gimmick of not being able to say Jolson's name correctly, calling the great entertainer "Jostin" or "Jocelyn". The continued popularity of the Parkyakarkus character finally landedEinstein his own show for the 1943 season, Meet Me At Parky's. By now, Nick Parkyakarkus is the proprietor of a barely afloat lunch counter. Opening with a monologue by Parkyakarkus and the sponsor's call to "Don't get irritated, light up an Old Gold and Meet Me at Parky's!" Along with starring on the show, Einstein also wrote most of the scripts. The show ran until June of 1948.

The hard living of a Hollywood comic finally caught up with Parkyakarkus, so after spinal surgery and being diagnosed with a heart condition, Einstein's showbiz commitments were reduced to occasional gag writing and appearing at the Hollywood Friar's Club Roasts. Harry had been smart with his money, and his real estate investments were paying off so that he could enjoy a quiet retirement, but that was not in the cards for someone who so enjoyed making people laugh.

The Friar's Club was scheduled to roast Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz on November 24, 1958. I Love Lucy had just ended its sixth season as the first TV show to go off the air at the top of the Nielsen Ratings, and the Lucy and Desi roast was the hottest ticket in town, not only for the audience but the comics doing the roasting as well. Even with talent like emcee Art Linkletter, Milton Berle, singer Tony Martin and George Burns, the night was bound to be a laugh-fest, but no one was prepared for the stinging antics of Parkyakarkus. As the applause began to die down, Linkletter asked from the podium "How come anyone as funny as this isn't one the air?"

A still flushed Einstein fired back "Yeah, why aren't I?" The tragic answer came when he collapsed in Milton Berle's lap. When Uncle Milty called "Is there a doctor in the house?", the audience thought it was a reprise of the old Vaudeville bit where the star collapses on stage, and when the physician answers, the star gets up and asks "How do you like the show so far Doc?" However, there were no more punch lines on this night.

As luck would have it, there were at least five doctors in the audience that night, among them some of the best cardiac surgeons in Southern California. George Burns (who was trying to reinvent his own career after Gracie Allen retired from show business that same year due to health concerns) and Milton Berle helped to carry Parkyakarkus to an area backstage where the doctors went to work. Einstein's chest was cut open with a borrowed pocket knife, and an improvised defibrillator was created by stripping the insulation from a lamp cord. All to no avail, the heart which had brought laughter to so many would beat no more.

It is traditional for an evening at a Friar's roast to end with the guest of honor being allowed to shoot some barbs at the roasters who had tormented then through the celebration, or at least show that they were big enough to be laughed with, not just at. When Desi Arnaz came to the microphone, he said "This offering meant so much to me. Now it means nothing. Please, everyone, pray to your God that he can be saved." Through her tears, all that Lucy could manage was "I can say nothing". Harry Einstein was declared dead at 1:20 am.

The Star which honors Parkyakarkus for his contributions to radio lies at 1708 Vine Street.