Henny Youngman, comedian and violinist famous for his "one-liners," was born 117 years ago today.
Youngman delivered short, simple rapid-fire jokes. His best known one-liner was "Take my wife — please."
In a time when many comedians told elaborate anecdotes, Youngman's comedy routine consisted of telling one line jokes, occasionally with interludes of violin playing. These gags depicted simple, cartoon-like situations, eliminating lengthy build-ups and going straight to the punch line.
He was known as the King of the One Liners, a title bestowed upon him by the columnist, Walter Winchell. A typical stage performance by Youngman lasted only fifteen to twenty minutes, but contained dozens of jokes, delivered in rapid fashion.