American actor
Sammy Labella (June 6, 1929 – September 22, 2014), better known by his stage name Skip E. Lowe, was an American stand-up comedian, talk show host and actor.
Career
Before adopting his now familiar stage name, LaBella worked as a stand-up comic, impressionist and master of ceremonies. In 1958, he performed in a number of Pittsburgh venues,[4][5] most notably Lenny Litman's Copa, where he opened for Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and Dakota Staton.[6][7] The following summer saw a number of engagements in New York State, and it was in July 1959 that LaBella made his first appearance as Skip E. Lowe at Glen Casino in Williamsville, New York.[8]
Beginning in 1978, he hosted Skip E. Lowe Looks at Hollywood, a weekly talk show for public-access cable television that aired in Los Angeles and New York City.[9]
He appeared in the films Black Shampoo (1976), The World's Greatest Lover (1977), Cameron's Closet (1988), and A-List (2006). In 2001, Lowe wrote The Boy with the Betty Grable Legs: A Showbiz Memoir.[10]
Martin Short cited him as the inspiration for his character Jiminy Glick.[11]
It is estimated that Lowe conducted some 6,000 cable-television interviews from 1978 to 2014.
He was openly gay.[12][13]
Death
Lowe died in Los Angeles, at age 85, on September 22, 2014, from emphysema.[11]
According to his former website, Lowe was cremated and had his ashes scattered at Ventura Pier on November 23, 2014.
Filmography
See also
References
- ^ "It Pays (for Him) to Be Insulting". The Honolulu Advertiser. March 15, 1967. p. 16. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "Comic Gaylord Esterbrook With a Well-Rounded Show". Detroit Free Press. August 6, 1969. p. 10. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ Huddy, John (March 21, 1970). "My Kind of Town: M.A.S.H.—A Zany, Touching Movie". The Miami Herald. March 21, 1970. p. 39. Retrieved September 11, 2022. "Comic Gaylord Esterbrook catching Tubby Hooks act."
- ^ "Show at Elmhurst Has Johnny Jack". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 19, 1958. p. 13. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "Rosemary Bellan Stays at Showcase". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. May 19, 1958. p. 13. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "Lambert Singers Debut at Copa". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 12, 1958. p. 12. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "Dakota Staton at Litman's Copa". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 1, 1958. p. 12. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "Glen Casino: Opens Tomorrow". Buffalo Evening News. July 6, 1959. p. 12. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ Jarvis, Michael T. (October 5, 2003). "If You Have a Talent, He'll Showcase It". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ Casillo, Charles (June 13, 2001). "Almost Famous – Celebrity Interviewer Skip E. Lowe Basks in the Low-Wattage Glow of Hollywood – Public Access Style". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ a b Barnes, Mike (September 23, 2014). "Skip E. Lowe, Talk Show Host and Inspiration for Martin Short's Jiminy Glick, Dies at 85". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ Lowe, Skip E (2014). Hollywood Gomorrah. USA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1497307261.
- ^ "Skip E. Lowe and Mamie Van Doren". YouTube. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
Further reading
External links