Pat Paulsen | |
|---|---|
 Paulsen in 1970 | |
| Born | Patrick Layton Paulsen (1927-07-06)July 6, 1927 South Bend, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | April 25, 1997(1997-04-25) (aged 69) Tijuana, Mexico |
| Occupations |
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| Spouses | |
| Website | www (discontinued) |
Patrick Layton Paulsen (July 6, 1927 – April 25, 1997) was an American comedian and satirist notable for his roles on several of theSmothers Brothers television shows, and for his satirical campaigns forPresident of the United States between 1968 and 1996.
Paulsen was born July 6, 1927, inSouth Bend, Washington, a small fishing town inPacific County.[1] He was the son of Beulah Inez (née Fadden) and Norman Inge Paulsen, a Norwegian immigrant who worked for theCoast Guard.[2][3] The family moved to California when he was 10, where he graduated fromTamalpais High School inMill Valley in May 1945.
Paulsen joined theU.S. Marine Corps after high school, whenWorld War II was still being waged, but it ended before he was shipped overseas.[4] However, he did experience overseas duty, including guarding captured Japanese soldiers during their repatriation.[2] He returned home after the war and worked as a posting clerk, a truck driver, a hod carrier, a Fuller Brush salesman, and a gypsum miner. Later, he was employed as a photostat operator for several years. He attendedSan Francisco City College, then joined an acting group called "The Ric-y-tic Players," and he formed a comedy trio that included his brother Lorin.
Paulsen developed a solo act, appearing as a comedic guitarist in various clubs on the West Coast and in New York City. He met the Smothers Brothers during an appearance in San Francisco.[1]The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour premiered in 1967, and Paulsen said that he was hired because he sold them inexpensive songs and would run errands. At first, he was cast as their editorialist, but his deadpan, double-talk comments on the issues of the day propelled him into the national spotlight. His work onThe Smothers Brothers' Comedy Hour earned him an Emmy Award in 1968.[5]
Paulsen made a guest appearance onThe Monkees in the 1968 episode "Monkees Watch Their Feet", playing the Secretary of National Defense. He also made many appearances onThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In 1968, he appeared as timid Federal Agent Bosley Cranston in "The Night of the Camera" in Season 4 ofThe Wild Wild West. During the first season ofSesame Street in 1969–1970, he appeared in a series of comic skits. He was featured in the 1970Get Smart episode "The Mess of Adrian Listenger". Early in 1970, he headlined his own seriesPat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour, which ran 13 weeks onABC. Guests on the first show were former Vice PresidentHubert Humphrey and an animatedDaffy Duck, whom Paulsen interviewed.
In 1971, Paulsen performed in the playPlay It Again, Sam at Cherry County Playhouse inTraverse City, Michigan. He enjoyed this professional summer-stock theater so much that he became business partners in 1976 with television writer and producer Neil Rosen and bought Cherry County Playhouse. He starred in a production every summer except 1973, all the way through the 1995 season. He starred in 24 different plays, includingThe Fantasticks,The Odd Couple,Harvey, andThe Sunshine Boys. He appeared in nightclubs, theaters, and conventions throughout the country. In 1984, he co-starred in the filmNight Patrol, a vehicle forThe Unknown Comic.
AfterCBS sold five minutes of airtime onThe Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour for a political ad, the show's writers came up with a bit in which Paulsen disclaimed association with the ad and stating that the ad was unfair to him as a candidate. CBS refused to air the bit, but the incident became the impetus for theSmothers Brothers writers launching a Pat Paulsen presidential campaign.[1] His campaign in 1968 and succeeding years was grounded in comedy, although not without serious commentary. He ran the supposed campaigns using obvious lies, double talk and tongue-in-cheek attacks on the major candidates, and he responded to all criticism with his catchphrase, "Picky, picky, picky". His campaign slogans included "Just a common, ordinary, simple savior of America's destiny", "We’ve upped our standards, now up yours" and "United we sit". He gave essentially the same answer to every question on social issues: "To get to the meat of the matter, I will come right to the point, and take note of the fact that the heart of the issue in the final analysis escapes me."[6] In announcing his candidacy on the Smothers Brothers show, Paulsen said, "Now I ask you: Will I solve our economic problems? Will I ease the causes of racial tension? Will I bring a peaceful end to Vietnam? Sure, why not?"[7]
Paulsen's name appeared on the ballot inNew Hampshire for the Democratic primary several times. In 1996, he received 921 votes (one percent) to finish second to PresidentBill Clinton (76,754 votes); this was ahead of real politicians such as Buffalo mayorJames D. Griffin. In 1992, he came in second toGeorge Bush in theNorth Dakota Republican primary. In the1992 Republican Party primaries, he received 10,984 votes total.
In 1971, Paulsen and his then-wife Jane opened Pat Paulsen Vineyards, a vineyard and winemaking operation inSonoma County, California.[8] Shortly afterClint Eastwood was elected mayor ofCarmel, California (1986), Paulsen proclaimed himself "mayor" of Asti, the small town near his vineyard. The office was of his own invention.[9]
In the 1980s, Paulsen began a relationship with social worker Linda Chaney, whom he met at a Denver comedy club. She began serving as his booking agent and the two were married in 1988. However, he learned that she was diverting his funds into her own personal accounts and he filed for divorce after only 40 days. He later sued her and was awarded a judgment of $233,000, but Chaney said that, even if she had the money, she would "go out and shred it rather than turn it over" to Paulsen.[10]
In 1995, Paulsen was diagnosed with colon cancer and doctors discovered that the cancer had spread to his brain and lymph nodes in 1997.[11] He sought alternative medicine treatment for his cancer inTijuana, Mexico and died there from complications of pneumonia and kidney failure on April 25, 1997.[5] Paulsen was fondly remembered by fans who enjoyed his mockery of the entire electoral process. "Whenever I’d walk around with him," Tom Smothers said, "people would yell, 'Hey, Mr. President.' We miss him."[12]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? | Conductor | |
| 1970 | Brand X | President | |
| 1975 | Fore Play | Norman | |
| 1978 | Harper Valley PTA | Otis Harper | |
| 1984 | Ellie | Sheriff Pete | |
| 1984 | Bloodsuckers from Outer Space | President | |
| 1984 | Night Patrol | Officer Kent Lane | |
| 1987 | They Still Call Me Bruce | Psychiatrist | |
| 1992 | Auntie Lee's Meat Pies | Minister | Final Film Role |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-1966 | The Smothers Brothers Show | Himself | 5 episodes |
| 1967-1969 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Himself | 52 episodes |
| 1968 | The Monkees | The Secretary of National Defense | S2:E17, “Monkees Watch Their Feet” |
| 1968 | Pat Paulsen for President | Himself | TV Movie |
| 1968 | The Wild Wild West | Bosley Cranston | "The Night of the Camera" |
| 1969 | The Wonderful World of Pizzazz | Himself | Guest |
| 1969 | This is Tom Jones | Himself | Episode 12 |
| 1970 | Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour | Himself | 13 episodes |
| 1970 | Get Smart | Ace Weems | Episode: "The Mess of Adrian Listenger" |
| 1970 | Sesame Street | Himself | 4 episodes |
| 1970 | The Smothers Brothers Summer Show | Himself | 3 episodes |
| 1972 | The Mouse Factory | Himself | 1 episode |
| 1975 | Joey & Dad | Himself | 4 episodes |
| 1976 | Sanford & Son | Percy | 1 episode |
| 1993 | Rugrats | Additional Voices | 2 episodes |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
