Billy Crystal to join Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and OTHERS at the paley center for media in Beverly Hills for a Salute to Comedian Sid Caesar on Wednesday, July 16 Eddy Friedfeld to moderate the conversation; Mel Brooks to support The Paley Center with Eleven Hours of Film to be digitized and Added to The center’s unsurpassed public Archive collection
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JULY 15, 2014 – When Sid Caesar passed away earlier this year, he left a creative legacy that both shaped and indelibly transformed television comedy. His admirers, whose ranks included Albert Einstein, compared his comic mastery to the genius of his idol Charlie Chaplin. Award-winning actor and comic Billy Crystal will join previously announced Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner with moderator Eddy Friedfeld, co-author (with Sid Caesar) of Caesar’s Hours: My Life in Comedy, With Love and Laughter, for a special evening honoring iconic comedian Sid Caesar on Wednesday, July 16 at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills. The evening will feature clips of Sid’s work from the Paley Archive, along with a salute from industry guests and attendees to the genius who gave them their start. The event will recount the extraordinary and enduring contributions Sid Caesar made to the entire comedy world.
In addition to public programs to help recognize and remember extraordinary comedic programming, and as part of its commitment to preserving outstanding content and significant work for posterity, The Paley Center for Media will digitize several works by television and film writer/producer/director Ernest Glucksman, thanks to the generosity of Mel Brooks. The valuable collection of eleven hours of film to be digitized includes The Colgate Comedy Hour, Saturday Night Revue, and The Jerry Lewis Hour. The collection will be available to the public at the Paley Center in New York and Los Angeles later this year.
“I am thrilled to support the Paley Center’s efforts to preserve our rich history by helping to digitize the significant, and very entertaining, works of my esteemed colleague Ernest Glucksman, a comedy legend, whom I was proud to call a colleague and a friend,” commented Mel Brooks. “Among many other seminal comedy shows, Glucksman’s long association with Jerry Lewis resulted in producing much of Lewis’s best TV programs, worthy of being included in the Paley Center collection.”
“We are grateful to Mr. Brooks for his support and recognition of the Center’s vital role in preserving parts of America’s cultural legacy that might otherwise be lost forever,” said Maureen Reidy, CEO, The Paley Center for Media. “As the digital age continues to evolve, it is vital to expand our preservation and archival digitization efforts as part of our mission to make sure generations to come have access to these amazing programs.”
The July 16th event is sold out, but those unable to attend can enjoy the free live stream beginning at 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET at www.PaleyCenter.org/Live. The Paley Center will also be live-tweeting from the event as the evening unfolds via twitter: @PaleyCenter and #PaleyLive.
About The Paley Center for Media: The Paley Center for Media, with locations in New York and Los Angeles, leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, radio, and emerging platforms for the professional community and media-interested public. Drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection, and close relationships with the leaders of the media community, the Paley Center examines the intersections between media and society. The general public can access the collection and participate in programs that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the personalities, and the leaders who are shaping media. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry. For more information, please visit www.paleycenter.org.
# # #
