Jonathan’s first standup routines were built around a combination of impressions (famous people) and sound effects he’d make with his voice (storms, hurricanes, machine guns, sirens, rain, engines, babies, etc.) Audience loved what he was doing, but a famous comedian told him that if he just did impressions that’s all he’d be, an impressionist. Jonathan took that as good advice, and shifted to creating and doing original characters. The world of characters he created, characters like Maude Frickert and Elmer Suggins, form a 20th century human comedy, not unlike the human comedy created by Balzac in the 19th century, with characters interacting and moving from one adventure to another. Casting a new Jonathan Winters film would eliminate the problem of actor availability. Jonathan could play all the parts, which is the same as all the parts playing Jonathan.
Tags: Elmer Suggins, Jonathan Winters, Maude Frickert, standup
