Irving Benson (born January 31, 1914) is an American actor and comedian. He is one of the last survivors of the vaudeville era.Having enjoyed a long and successful run on the east coast American Burlesque circuit, Benson travelled west to play Las Vegas for the first time in 1957, with the Minsky Follies show. Benson gained national exposure during the 1960s, when fellow vaudevillian Milton Berle hired him to play a faux heckler named Sidney Spritzer. The character would turn up in the balcony overlooking the stage of Berle's variety show (where the studio audience could see him) and banter with Berle about the host's alleged lack of talent and originality. Benson became Johnny Carson's favorite comic and appeared frequently on the Johnny Carson-hosted Tonight Show. He was honored for Best Documentary at the 2011 Backlot Film Festival for "The Last First Comic" uncovering the roots of American comedy also going inside the colorful world of the Burlesque show. He turned 100 in February 2014.
He was one of the last living vaudeville and burlesque performers.
2
Fellow ex-vaudevillian Milton Berle hired him to appear as a heckler named Sidney Spritzer on his variety shows. Spritzer would be seated in the front row of the balcony overlooking the stage and give Berle comic grief.
3
He started singing and dancing in contests as a youngster. He entertained troops during WWII. After the war, he was one-half of the comedy act Benson and Mann, teaming with straight man Jack Mann.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Happy Days
1979
TV Series
Irv Hanson
Which Way to the Front?
1970
German Officer (uncredited)
Here's Lucy
1969
TV Series
Irving
The Hollywood Palace
1968
TV Series
Sidney Shpritzer - Comic Heckler
The Milton Berle Show
1966
TV Series
Sidney Spritzer
Texaco Star Theatre
1948
TV Series
Sphritzer, Sidney (1966-67)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Happy Days
1979
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Last First Comic
2010
Documentary
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962-1977
TV Series
Himself - Guest / Himself
The Merv Griffin Show
1971
TV Series
Himself
The Hollywood Palace
1967-1969
TV Series
Himself - Comic Heckler / Himself - Comedian
The Milton Berle Show
1966
TV Series
Himself
Known for movies
The Last First Comic (2010) as Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1977) as Himself / Himself - Guest
Texaco Star Theatre (1948) as Sphritzer, Sidney (1966-67)
The Hollywood Palace (1967-1969) as Sidney Shpritzer - Comic Heckler / Himself - Comedian / Himself - Comic Heckler
$1.1 Million
