8th
WC Fields was a amazing juggler see for yourself in this video clip I found on You-Tube.
This is “The Great McGonigle” performing. He timing and showmanship skills were refined in Vaudeville. Watching him perform physically always gives me the sense that I was in the presence of a master.
I remember the first time I saw this segment, I was around 8. Back them, they still had WC Fields movies on tv fairly regularly. And every time he was on, I made every effort to watch.
As I grew older they often had combined WC Fields - Marx Brothers festivals in Berkeley Ca. I remember one time they played them for three days straight - a marathon - one right after the other.
Lots of fun…
This video brings back many fond memories and seeing it reminds me how much I respected and admired this man’s talent in spite of his faults and weaknesses.
He was a great man in his own right. He made it easy for us to laugh at ourselves and to laugh at adversity.
