Harvey Korman died at age 81 yesterday. He was a consummate professional, and hysterically funny. He costarred in several Mel Brooks films including "Blazing Saddles" as Hedley Lamarr, and "History of the World Part 1" as Count de Monet. He's best remembered as a cast member of the Carol Burnett variety show, where he elevated sketch comedy into the national consciousness well before SNL. He created many memorable characters in his twelve years on the show. In honor of Harvey Korman, Nixed's Picks will count down the Top 5 Second Banana comedy performances (no disrespect intended) in film history. The best Second Banana's are funny, but know not to overshadow the main character. We're not talking a straight-man here, just a perfect foil for the lead actor or actress to play off. Coming in at Number 5 is Tony Roberts in "Annie Hall". Tony Roberts is an extremely under-rated film actor. In "Annie Hall" he perfectly captured the absurdity of the self-important movie star. It was easily his best performance of the five films he did for Woody Allen. Marty Feldman is at Number 4, for his portrayal of Igor(pronounced Eye-gore) in "Young Frankenstein". Those crazy eyes, that accent, that hump that kept shifting around on his upper back. The scene where he discloses to Dr. Frankenstein that he picked up the brain of someone named "Abby Normal" is an all-time classic. The best recent Second Banana performance comes in at # 3. It's Thomas Hayden Church in "Sideways". His character Jack is a fringe actor who once starred on a soap opera. He takes his best friend Miles on a trip to the vineyards near Santa Barbara, for what he sees as a last chance to get laid before he gets married to an upper middle class woman back in LA. His character gets into one hilarious situation after another, including getting caught banging a steakhouse waitress, by the waitress' husband. If that scene wasn't funny enough, it is trumped by the following scene of Miles sneaking back into the waitress' house to retrieve Jack's left-behind wallet. Coming in at a strong # 2 is David Johansen's work in "Let It Ride". As Looney, the best friend of the main character Jay Trotter, Johansen is the near perfect second banana. He gets enormous laughs, without overshadowing Dreyfuss in the lead role. His characterization is broad, silly, over-the-top, and FUNNY. At # 1 is the side-splitting performance of Charles Grodin in "Midnight Run". A perfect foil for straight-laced bounty hunter Jack Walsh(Robert DeNiro, who gets his own share of laughs), Grodin plays Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas, an accountant on the lam from the mob. Charles Grodin earns huge laughs from facial expressions, deft line readings, and his "Odd Couple" like relationship with DeNiro's character. If someone not too familiar with film history asks me what a can't miss entertaining movie is, I think instantly of "Midnight Run". JG8D69D
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