For many, Jonathan Winters set the example for what comedians could be.
Starting his early career as disc jockey, his wild voices and antics on the air soon led him to New York City, where he eventually hosted "The Jonathan Winters Show". He skyrocketed to national fame, doing characters on The Tonight Show that were a favorite of Johnny Carson, touring the country, and acting in a ton of iconic films throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Robin Williams saw him as his idol and always made it clear: without Winters, there would be no Williams.
Here are some of the funniest and most memorable moments from one of the original comedy legends.
1
Jonathan Winters in “Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America
2009
2
Robin Williams, Pam Dawber, Jonathan Winters, and Conrad Janis in “Mork & Mindy”
1978
3
Jonathan Winters in “It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World”
1963
4
Carol Burnett and Jonathan Winters in “The Carol Burnett Show”
1967
5
Jonathan Winters in “Mork & Mindy”
1978
6
Jonathan Winters in “The Loved One”
1965
7
Jonathan Winters in “Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In”
1967
8
Winters and Robin Williams
On the set of “Mork and Mindy”
9
Jonathan Winters and Fozzie Bear
“The Muppet Show”, 1980
10
Scooter the Muppet and Jonathan Winters
“The Muppet Show”, 1980
11
Jonathan Winters crashes through a wall in “It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”
1963
12
Jonathan Winters in The Interviews: An Oral History of Television
1997
13
Winters performing a routine on The NBC Comedy Hour
1956
14
Jonathan Winters in “It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”
1963
15
"Johnny" Winters promoting Gambrinus Beer for August Wagner Breweries
Early 1950s
16
Jonathan Winters and Martin in “Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In”
1967
17
Early Jonathan Winters publicity photo
1963
18
Winters performing at a USO show
1986
