When I lived in Manhattan in the 70' s i saw Brother Theodore sitting alone on an uptown bus on Central Park West during the Holiday Season, and I wished him a Merry Christmas; and am still surprised at how nice and sweet and gentle and sentimental he was, and that he was sincerely touched that someone wished him a Merry Christmas, and it made him so happy to wish me and my girlfriend a very warmhearted Merry Christmas! and he said "You're both very nice people!" And contrary to his very far-out hysterical iconoclastic and irascible comic persona, he was really a very nice loving person too, bless his soul!
He probably ducked on the bus after a quick homicide. LOL. Seriously this guy was the master of the spoken word and a genius of the highest order. I remember seeing him in the eighties and saying what the heck was that!
What you saw on Letterman and when he appeared on stage was his act. He was playing a character. This is not how Brother Theodore was in real life. So, many of these talented, interesting, quirky, and great "characters" would not be allowed on television in today's world due to the networks unquenchable need to pander to so-called "celebrity." This was the tail-end of when late night talk shows were still interesting, instead of literally playing mindless parlor games.
I remember seeing him on Letterman and while I thought he was very entertaining, I found him to be pretty eccentric and possibly demented lol. Little did I know his off-the-wall performance was just that, a performance. I'd misjudged him and believed his nuttiness so convincing 😅
"Only when we have drunk from the river of darkness can we truly see. Only when our legs have rotted off can we truly dance. As long as there is death, there is hope." - BT
He said he carried his quivering flesh in a suit case , dark andrechrome manaics even back then , blatantly talking about it even a bit of applause, my jaw hit the ground
Listen to the guy, what he's saying about medicine is the truth. Everyone was taking it as a joke but he's right. The ailments persist, the specialists prosper, and the patients die. That blew me away.
But he didn't have time to get into his alternative theory of health, quadrupedism--walking on all fours. Actually it reminds me of the trend about 25 years ago when psychologists or physical therapists were saying that it's good get down and crawl on all fours. Of course walking on all fours puts you in a posterior up posture. He concluded his long rant about it with, "And if you should grow a tail... wag it.' And whatever happened to the guy who tried to create a sports or health movement based on skipping instead of walking or running. He even got one of the shoe companies to make a special skipping shoes, I think. If I recall, at first his wife was supportive, but his devotion to the activity led to the breakup of his marriage. Maybe his wife thought he skipped out on her.
@@fredbloggs6080 I've heard that the pestilence of hemorrhoids is directly related to our bipedalism. When my friend told me this, I speculated that it would be bizarre if it sparked a "back to all fours" movement, but as it turns out, Brother Theodore had that all sussed a decade earlier.
Back in the 80s, when I was in my late teens, I would record Dave on my brand new VCR machine. My favorite guests were Chris Elliot, and Brother Theodore! I used watch him over and over, and hang on his every word! (Plus, he reminded me of my German Grandfather!)
There was absolutely no one else like Brother Theodore. When I first saw him, he scared the hell out of me. He got so worked up I thought that he was going to run off the stage, into the audience and strangle someone....maybe me! Later, I realized just how smart and brilliant a storyteller he was.
Same. I used to watch him on Letterman and not really get his humor. He scared me, but watching him years later I am laughing like crazy at his comedy style. My daughter was even looking at wondering what was so funny. He is hilarious!
I had the pleasure of having Brother Theodore in my cab in the early 80s. He asked about my life & was really interested in what I had to say. I had a social work job hit by Ronald Reagan and he encouraged me that the cab was just a detour. He gave me a pass for his performance in the Village later, but I was unable to attend. He couldn't have been more different from the character (I knew he was only playing) on Johnnie Carson.
I saw him my first year in college (Lehigh) in 1957; he blew me away and I always talked about him and his unique character; now I am going to watch a few of his old performances. Don't have originality like that anymore
Theodore had a beautifully perverse view of the hell we call our everyday world. Like an existentialist George Carlin. The cutaway to Paul and Billy Joel was priceless. I wish he was still alive and that he addressed the many horrors of our 21st Century world. He and Lewis Black could have a TV program in which they discussed society's ills in their twisted commentaries. I'd watch it.
The man was a genius. He was very funny but also had very perceptive insight into what was going on in the world, to wit he interlaced his charm to make it thought provoking but palatable for the ignorant.
Almost three decades later and I'm still laughing my head off watching Brother Theodore's appearances on "Late Night with David Letterman." Too bad Letterman's show hasn't been as hilarious since his move to CBS. Obviously it's because almost all of his guests now are strictly mainstream.
He's the original voice of Gollum, from the Rankin & Bass animated version of The Hobbit 1977. the Hobbit 1977 Cartoon: Bilbo finds the ring in Gollum's cave
That just might be the funniest second or two, combined with Dave's ensuing facial reaction, of this whole video. Got quite a big laugh from the audience too.
He had his motto "As Long as There Is Death, There Is Hope" put on his gravestone. Hardly surprising he had a dark outlook on life having been imprisoned at the Dachau concentration camp until he signed over his family's fortune for one Reichsmark ...
The best of the best. I saw him live at that little theater he played at. The funniest thing I ever saw. He survived the holocaust and was brought over here by Einstein. His speech about food is brilliant. All of the routines are great. He took chances on stage. Love his explosions of rage.
Ahhhh.... the early 80s, when Letterman was funny, before becoming just another Leftie entertainer/talk show host. Every time Brother Theodore was scheduled (along with Chris Elliot, Larry Bud Melman, Terry Garr) it was going to be a great night with Letterman.
I was a teen in the 80's when Letterman first came on the air. I liked his show because of guests like BT. Letterman was kind of a "fringe" show back then, compared to Carson.
This guy is awesome! Kinda weird, I never really known anything about him until now. Feel kinda stupid for that. But I was just looking for the burbs without knowing the movie title, and realized this guy was in it. And that brought me over here. And he is just awesome!
RIP brother Theodore, just came across you recently, you were prophesying the current times, david icke went through the same scenario on the Terry wogan show, audience laughing at truth, who's laughing now?
I was in 6th grade when i started watching Letterman. When he had Brother Theodore on, i thought he was some eccentric Monk and i was confused as to what i was watching. The audience was laughing but i didn't understand what was funny.
Letterman’s best guest. And I like how the audience hoots and hollers and applauds when he describes his lovely Lolita as “95 pounds of submissive, quivering flesh.” The first eight or nine years of Letterman’s late night show were his best.
@f33d4ward hm, I think it's more complicated than that. I believe what he's saying is 100% true it's just framed as a joke in a talk show format so as not to shock the jingos while at the same time getting his message across.
![[안방1열 직캠4K] 베이비몬스터 치키타 'FOREVER' (BABYMONSTER CHIQUITA FanCam) @SBS Inkigayo 2404707](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Tn3bGHiBWkg/mqdefault.jpg)
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | ครอบครัวสะท้านทุ่ง "นางบี & อ้ายสติ๊ก"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/A1rhYcxxNtA/mqdefault.jpg)
The cut to Paul and Billy Joel, and the awkward pause was one of the funniest moments in television history.
4:20
@@OldSkoolUncleChristhanks
When I lived in Manhattan in the 70' s i saw Brother Theodore sitting alone on an uptown bus on Central Park West during the Holiday Season, and I wished him a Merry Christmas; and am still surprised at how nice and sweet and gentle and sentimental he was, and that he was sincerely touched that someone wished him a Merry Christmas, and it made him so happy to wish me and my girlfriend a very warmhearted Merry Christmas! and he said "You're both very nice people!" And contrary to his very far-out hysterical iconoclastic and irascible comic persona, he was really a very nice loving person too, bless his soul!
I guess as a Jew he still appreciated the sentiment.
He probably ducked on the bus after a quick homicide. LOL. Seriously this guy was the master of the spoken word and a genius of the highest order. I remember seeing him in the eighties and saying what the heck was that!
What you saw on Letterman and when he appeared on stage was his act. He was playing a character.
This is not how Brother Theodore was in real life. So, many of these talented, interesting, quirky, and great "characters" would not be allowed on television in today's world due to the networks unquenchable need to pander to so-called "celebrity." This was the tail-end of when late night talk shows were still interesting, instead of literally playing mindless parlor games.
Very cool!!
That's a lovely story. Thank you very much for sharing it. Really.
I feel like I'm finally old enough to appreciate the deadpan humor and pure weirdness. This is great.
lol
Back in the day when I was 17 and watching him on letterman I didn’t realize How brilliant he was. Now at 54 I totally get it!! What a performer!!
Performer indeed
I remember seeing him on Letterman and while I thought he was very entertaining, I found him to be pretty eccentric and possibly demented lol. Little did I know his off-the-wall performance was just that, a performance. I'd misjudged him and believed his nuttiness so convincing 😅
@@rickleblanc8900 I felt the same way. It was all a scripted act.
Back when Letterman had really interesting and singular guests, rather than vapid celebrities. RIP Brother!
"Only when we have drunk from the river of darkness can we truly see. Only when our legs have rotted off can we truly dance. As long as there is death, there is hope." - BT
From a book or something?
That's deep.
That's truth.
@@jockejocke1 wow that's brilliant
He said he carried his quivering flesh in a suit case , dark andrechrome manaics even back then , blatantly talking about it even a bit of applause, my jaw hit the ground
He pretty much nails it with the Medical/Pharmaceutical Mafia in his succinct idiosyncratic style
Listen to the guy, what he's saying about medicine is the truth. Everyone was taking it as a joke but he's right. The ailments persist, the specialists prosper, and the patients die. That blew me away.
Not the first time Ive seen people being 100% serious but everyone including Dave laughing and totally not getting it.
I totally agree with his speech about the medical industry. It is worse now. My doctor is a complete idiot. I never expect to get medical help now.
No cure for life my friend
But he didn't have time to get into his alternative theory of health, quadrupedism--walking on all fours. Actually it reminds me of the trend about 25 years ago when psychologists or physical therapists were saying that it's good get down and crawl on all fours. Of course walking on all fours puts you in a posterior up posture. He concluded his long rant about it with, "And if you should grow a tail... wag it.' And whatever happened to the guy who tried to create a sports or health movement based on skipping instead of walking or running. He even got one of the shoe companies to make a special skipping shoes, I think. If I recall, at first his wife was supportive, but his devotion to the activity led to the breakup of his marriage. Maybe his wife thought he skipped out on her.
@@fredbloggs6080 I've heard that the pestilence of hemorrhoids is directly related to our bipedalism. When my friend told me this, I speculated that it would be bizarre if it sparked a "back to all fours" movement, but as it turns out, Brother Theodore had that all sussed a decade earlier.
Back in the 80s, when I was in my late teens, I would record Dave on my brand new VCR machine. My favorite guests were Chris Elliot, and Brother Theodore! I used watch him over and over, and hang on his every word! (Plus, he reminded me of my German Grandfather!)
One of the most underrated characters in comedy. Deserved much more recognition.
The speech about the medical establishment was truth disguised as comedy.
Yep
exactly CIA psyops
My thoughts exactly also.
"Klopek, is that Slavic?"
"No!"
Carl Grimes about a 10 on the tension scale
Daniel I can watch him.....AAAALLLLDAAAYYY! Was that a 9 on the tension scale, Reub? 😉👏🏻👊🏻
@@Sshooter444 a 9
Completely underrated movie.
@@waynedurning8717 So true. And the best.
There was absolutely no one else like Brother Theodore. When I first saw him, he scared the hell out of me. He got so worked up I thought that he was going to run off the stage, into the audience and strangle someone....maybe me! Later, I realized just how smart and brilliant a storyteller he was.
he is an actor
Same. I used to watch him on Letterman and not really get his humor. He scared me, but watching him years later I am laughing like crazy at his comedy style. My daughter was even looking at wondering what was so funny. He is hilarious!
I had the pleasure of having Brother Theodore in my cab in the early 80s. He asked about my life & was really interested in what I had to say. I had a social work job hit by Ronald Reagan and he encouraged me that the cab was just a detour. He gave me a pass for his performance in the Village later, but I was unable to attend. He couldn't have been more different from the character (I knew he was only playing) on Johnnie Carson.
Love your Work
JP51ism what was he like?
This gentleman was brilliant
I saw him my first year in college (Lehigh) in 1957; he blew me away and I always talked about him and his unique character; now I am going to watch a few of his old performances. Don't have originality like that anymore
I learned a lot about quadrupedism from this.
Don't ask me for whom the grave is dug. It is dug for you. As long as there is death..there is hope.
Theodore had a beautifully perverse view of the hell we call our everyday world. Like an existentialist George Carlin. The cutaway to Paul and Billy Joel was priceless. I wish he was still alive and that he addressed the many horrors of our 21st Century world. He and Lewis Black could have a TV program in which they discussed society's ills in their twisted commentaries. I'd watch it.
6:25 "95 pounds of submissive, quivering flesh!" LMAO!
Vidiwell100. Lol
the perfect portable mistress in your suitcase
@@cherylwofford8084 What funny, I think he was talking about a sex doll..he called her a "portable mistress" LMAO!
Of all his lines over the years, that was always my favorite.
I saw this the day it aired...Love Brother Theodore and Dave.Best of times.
Brother Theodore... what a true genius. I could listen to him all day.
The man was a genius. He was very funny but also had very perceptive insight into what was going on in the world, to wit he interlaced his charm to make it thought provoking but palatable for the ignorant.
How the HECK did this guy manage to keep a strait face during his routine?!
+Paul Snow He actually cracks a little smile at 6:48, but it happens so fast, no one barely caught it
Edward Bliss nice!
@@edwardbliss8931 he was smiling
straight, not strait which refers to bodies of water
@@charleswinokoor6023 Thank you for the correction. My spelling has improved in the last 6 years.
submissive quivering flesh....he was so ahead. still is.
Brother Theodore the genus that walked among us
When I was younger I used to think he was genuinely insane.
Now that I'm older I realize I was right.
He's actually right about the medical industry
Call him crazy but he sure nailed modern 'medicine'
Almost three decades later and I'm still laughing my head off watching Brother Theodore's appearances on "Late Night with David Letterman." Too bad Letterman's show hasn't been as hilarious since his move to CBS. Obviously it's because almost all of his guests now are strictly mainstream.
He's the original voice of Gollum, from the Rankin & Bass animated version of The Hobbit 1977.
the Hobbit 1977 Cartoon: Bilbo finds the ring in Gollum's cave
He had me at "I did not (welcome them) and I won't."
Brother Theodore meets Don Rickles would have been priceless.
That would be interesting, although, I don't know if Rickles would quite know what to do with Brother Theodore, he was so "out there"!
My 92 year old Mom went to his shows in The Village in the 1950’s. He’s hilarious!!!
"95 pounds of submissive quivering flesh" i rofled so damn hard
04:20 The great moment mentioned in the new letterman book -- talking about how Hal Gurnee created comedy with funny cutaway shots during the show
That just might be the funniest second or two, combined with Dave's ensuing facial reaction, of this whole video. Got quite a big laugh from the audience too.
This is amazing.
“Ninety five pounds of quivering flesh” …. my first Brother Theodore experience.
It was parked outside ALLLL DAYYYY.
This man is my hero. Always has been.
Drew Bludd I have never heard of him..how did I miss it? I know almost every star for the 1940’s til now!
@@Wowwwzaaa Brother Theodore was a regular on Letterman in the 80's. Check out more of him on TH-cam. He was one-of-a-kind, and hilarious!
Take notes, kids, this is comedy.
I love his fabulous hair
His doing something with mousse.
Awesome. Thanks.
He had his motto "As Long as There Is Death, There Is Hope" put on his gravestone. Hardly surprising he had a dark outlook on life having been imprisoned at the Dachau concentration camp until he signed over his family's fortune for one Reichsmark ...
Please upload more more Brother Theodore clips, if you have them! This man was a genius. :-)
Thanks you for uploading this.
I love Brother Theodore ❤️
The best of the best. I saw him live at that little theater he played at. The funniest thing I ever saw. He survived the holocaust and was brought over here by Einstein. His speech about food is brilliant. All of the routines are great. He took chances on stage. Love his explosions of rage.
this guy was GREAT he worked in the clubs in New York City. I think brother Theodore was a holocaust Survivor.
Yes, he was. He had a really tragic life, but made some great work out of it.
Albert Einstein was a family friend. Read his wikipedia page. He was an interesting cat to say the least.
Brother you are the greatest.....
4:20 when he finishes and the director cuts to Paul, comic genius
Just Great ❗
This guy was so great. :)
Ahhhh.... the early 80s, when Letterman was funny, before becoming just another Leftie entertainer/talk show host. Every time Brother Theodore was scheduled (along with Chris Elliot, Larry Bud Melman, Terry Garr) it was going to be a great night with Letterman.
cameraman655 I’m 51 and miss watching him on my 13” black and white tv. I’d dim the contrast down so parents couldn’t tell I was up.....
Mr. Klopek
Dexter Riley Is that Slavic????
Kevin Salvini .......NO
'Bout a 9 on the tension scale there, Rube.
Dexter Riley My brothaa.... The Doctah!
"Hepcats!"
Genius!!!
..."kept alive at the point of a gun." So true
I was a teen in the 80's when Letterman first came on the air. I liked his show because of guests like BT. Letterman was kind of a "fringe" show back then, compared to Carson.
9 out of ten on the tension scale, eh Rube? 🤣
The dude knew Einstein, respect.
He's completely bonkers that he made money is amazing! Incidentally I love brother Theodore he completes me
This guy is awesome! Kinda weird, I never really known anything about him until now. Feel kinda stupid for that. But I was just looking for the burbs without knowing the movie title, and realized this guy was in it. And that brought me over here. And he is just awesome!
“I am zee brrride at every vedding und zee corpse at every funeral.” Love ya BT!
RIP brother Theodore, just came across you recently, you were prophesying the current times, david icke went through the same scenario on the Terry wogan show, audience laughing at truth, who's laughing now?
Brother Theodore is a riot.
Right on ...
Before Andy Serkis...there was this guy. The original Gollum!!
It's funny how the audience laughs and the truth is treated like a joke.
I guess the joke's on us.
Brother Theodore is absolutely brilliant at turning Dave's attempts to be funny back on him.
I was in 6th grade when i started watching Letterman. When he had Brother Theodore on, i thought he was some eccentric Monk and i was confused as to what i was watching. The audience was laughing but i didn't understand what was funny.
I would love to know if those two talked after the show, if David complimented him on how brilliant he was.
Those were the days!
People are not laughing now!
He was so right.
Paul Shaffer at 4:29 looks seriously concerned about the medical conspiracy...
Absolutely the best it's just the way things used to be I miss the old days the genuine shock
The first time I heard Brother Theodore was on a 10" e.p. in the late 50s or early 60s...cracked me up then...cracks me up now.
I never heard of this guy,just read he was the voice of Gollum in the animated version from 1977 so I had to check him out.
Don't ask me for whom the grave is dug... it's dug for you! LOL
Kiitos
Ahhh.... When Letterman had great guests. Brother Theodore!!!
Ye gods, this is so great. TIL about Brother Theodore.
He said "she (Miss America) makes Bella Abzug look like an airline hostess." Bella was a NYC Congresswoman among other things in the 70's.
I have to agree with you.
Funny funny dude!!
R.I.P Brother!
@MontagTheMagician Truer words couldn't have been spoken
My Uncle Reuben!
And his brother...the doctor!
That's Borat in his 80s!
Jax Nean how dare you even compare Brother Theodore to that piece of filth!
He was right about medicine or lack of....
@limestoneroad Better than the best thing on television if there is such a thing Brilliant.
Damnit! Can´t stop thinking of him as a Klopek! xD But he is brilliant - the worlds best Pokerface! xD Awesome guy!
Letterman’s best guest.
And I like how the audience hoots and hollers and applauds when he describes his lovely Lolita as “95 pounds of submissive, quivering flesh.”
The first eight or nine years of Letterman’s late night show were his best.
@ultrapirtle That's crazy awesome!
He is from my hometown, great funny actor
Dusseldorf
As BT said or at least on his grave marker: "Where there is death, there's hope."
@f33d4ward hm, I think it's more complicated than that. I believe what he's saying is 100% true it's just framed as a joke in a talk show format so as not to shock the jingos while at the same time getting his message across.
Well,he's right,about mainstream medical "science".
The idiots that are laughing sums up our society.
Yep. Think about it. There was a time you would actually see this....On prime time TV. We've out-ironied ourselves
He has James Trafficant hairdo
Metaphysician, Philosopher & Podiatrist.
Does anyone know which Miss America Brother Theodore referred to?
This is the guy who voiced Gollum in The Hobbit so he has my full respect lol
He's kinda scary xD