As a little kid during the '70s, Charles Nelson Reilly was one of my first exposures to big, flaming homosexuals (alongside Paul Lynde), thanks to my love of TV game shows. He's gone now, and the world's a little sadder, because they really don't make 'em like they used to.
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Seeing Charles and Brett bicker at one another, while Gene, Richard and Fannie were playing lewd instigator was one of the highlights of my youth. Although, and I'm being as honest as I can here, neither Charles nor Paul Lynde "registered" with me, probably because the very concept of homosexuality was alien. I just took them to be funny guys who acted a bit sissy as part of their "act" or "role." (I was born in 1966, to make the age make sense.)
Have you ever seen, in reruns obviously, Charles Nelson Reilly on the old "What's My Line?" in black-and-white with John Charles Daly? CNR was on it a few times in the early/mid-60s when he was still best known as a Tony-winning Broadway actor. Awful. He has all his what you call "flaming" mannerisms -- but is holding them back, wearing the same dinner suit as Bennet Cerf, and desperately and unsuccessfully trying to fit into a show that is so "straight" (unfortunate word choice in this context, but unavoidable). Understand, I love "What's My Line?" -- it's the greatest game show of its era. But Charles Nelson Reilly on it ... ugh ... looks like Nixon trying to disco.
Posted by: CourageMan | May 31, 2007 at 01:22 PM
this news bothered me a lot mmore than i thought it would.
the ny times nailed it when they said his persona was waaaaaaaay ahead of its time.
does anyone even watch gameshows anymore?
Posted by: jay lassiter | May 28, 2007 at 12:32 PM