George Kirby

George Kirby (June 8, 1923 – September 30, 1995) was an American comedian, singer, and actor renowned for his groundbreaking impressions and versatile vocal talent. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Kirby entered the entertainment world in the 1940s, cutting his teeth at the legendary Club DeLisa where he honed a blend of stand‑up, blues singing, and comedic timing, and recorded his first track “Ice Man Blues” in 1947 for Aristocrat Records. His ability to mimic both Black and White celebrities—ranging from Bill Cosby and Pearl Bailey to John Wayne and Walter Brennan—made him one of the first African‑American performers to attract integrated audiences during the Civil Rights era, leading to frequent appearances on high‑profile programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall, The Dean Martin Show and Rowan and Martin’s Laugh‑In between 1963 and 1972. In addition to vocal impressions of jazz greats like Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Williams, he demonstrated prodigious piano skills and crafted realistic female, child, military and airline sound effects that added depth to his sketch work. A 1970 television special, The George Kirby Show, earned him his own half‑hour variety series, Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour, which aired 22 episodes in 1972 and gave a young Steve Martin one of his earliest on‑camera credits. Despite the show’s short run, Kirby remained a fixture on television, joining the ABC improvisational troupe The Kopykats alongside Rich Little and Frank Gorshin, and later appearing on sitcoms such as Gimme a Break, What’s Happening Now!!, Crazy Like a Fox and 227. His career suffered a sharp decline after a 1977 arrest for drug trafficking, resulting in a three‑and‑a‑half‑year prison sentence, after which he turned to drug‑prevention outreach in schools. In his later years Kirby battled Parkinson’s disease, yet still performed a benefit show in May 1995 before passing away on September 30 1995 in Las Vegas, Nevada, survived by his wife Rosemary.