Marty Feldman: Comedy’s Unforgettable Innovator
Marty Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was known for his prominent, misaligned eyes and became one of Britain’s most distinctive comedy performers, winning two BAFTA awards and creating sketches that influenced Monty Python.
Early Life and Education
Feldman was born on 8 July 1934 in Canning Town, east London, the son of Cecilia (née Crook) and Myer Feldman, a gown manufacturer. His parents were Ukrainian Jewish immigrants from Kyiv. He recalled his childhood as “solitary”, particularly during his years of evacuation to the countryside during the Second World War.
Feldman suffered from thyroid disease and developed Graves’ ophthalmopathy, which caused his eyes to protrude and become misaligned. A childhood injury, a car crash, a boating accident and reconstructive eye surgery may also have contributed to his distinctive appearance. He later reflected on how this shaped his career: “If I aspired to be Robert Redford, I’d have my eyes straightened and my nose fixed and end up like every other lousy actor, with two lines on Kojak. But this way, I’m a novelty.”
Career and Achievements
Feldman left school at age 15 and worked at the Dreamland funfair in Margate while pursuing dreams of becoming a jazz trumpeter, performing in the first group featuring tenor saxophonist Tubby Hayes. By age 20, he had decided to pursue comedy instead. His early performing career was undistinguished until he joined the comedy act Morris, Marty and Mitch, which made their first television appearance on the BBC series Showcase in April 1955.
In 1954, Feldman met Barry Took while both worked as performers, forming a writing partnership that lasted until 1974. Together they wrote episodes of The Army Game (1960) and the bulk of Bootsie and Snudge (1960–62) for ITV, and Round the Horne (1964–67) for BBC Radio, the latter starring Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams. Denis Norden noted this work placed Feldman and Took “in the front rank of comedy writers”. Feldman also worked as chief writer and script editor on The Frost Report (1966–67), where he co-wrote the “Class” sketch with John Law, featuring John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett.
The television sketch series At Last the 1948 Show raised Feldman’s profile as a performer alongside future Monty Python members Graham Chapman and John Cleese, and Tim Brooke-Taylor. Feldman co-authored the sketch “Four Yorkshiremen” with Chapman, Cleese and Brooke-Taylor for this series, which Monty Python later adapted for their stage performances. In a sketch broadcast on 1 March 1967, Feldman’s character, often called Mr. Pest, harassed a patient shop assistant played by Cleese regarding fictitious books.
Feldman received his own BBC series, Marty, in 1968, featuring Brooke-Taylor, John Junkin and Roland MacLeod, with Cleese as one of the writers. The second series in 1969 was retitled It’s Marty. The first series won the Golden Rose Award at Montreux, establishing Feldman with an international audience and launching his film career.
His first feature film role was in Every Home Should Have One (1970), one of the most popular comedies at the British box office that year. In 1971, he starred in The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine, a comedy-variety sketch series for ATV co-produced with the American Broadcasting Company, though it lasted only one series. In 1974, Dennis Main Wilson produced a short BBC sketch series titled Marty Back Together Again, but it did not achieve the impact of his earlier work.
Feldman’s most celebrated film role came in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein (1974), where he played Igor, pronounced “EYE-gore” as a comic response to Gene Wilder’s pronunciation of “FRONK-en-steen”. Wilder said he had Feldman in mind when writing the part. Many lines in the film were improvised. In 1976, Feldman appeared in the Italian sex comedy 40 Gradi All’Ombra del Lenzuolo (Sex with a Smile) alongside Dayle Haddon. He also performed on American television, including The Dean Martin Show.
Notable Events and Milestones
Feldman’s career reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His BAFTA wins for Marty, including Best Entertainment Performance in 1969, marked his recognition as a leading performer. His appearance in Young Frankenstein (1974) brought him international film recognition, earning him the first Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor. He died on 2 December 1982 of a heart attack while filming Yellowbeard in Mexico City.
Awards and Honors
Feldman won two British Academy Television Awards for his series Marty, including Best Entertainment Performance in 1969. The first series of Marty won the Golden Rose Award at Montreux. He received the first Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Igor in Young Frankenstein (1974).
Additional Resources
Marty Feldman’s influence on British comedy and his distinctive comedic style remain well-documented in television archives and comedy histories. More detailed information about his career, collaborations with Barry Took, and his film work is available through Wikipedia and other biographical resources dedicated to British entertainment history.
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