Milton Berle: Shining Comedic Star During the “Golden Age” of American TV

Milton Berle (July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) — known contemporaneously as “Uncle Miltie” and “Mr. Television” — was an enormously popular comedian and television host during the so-called Golden Age of American TV. From 1948 to 1955, he headlined the comedy-variety program Texaco Star Theater on NBC. (It was later renamed The Milton Berle Show.) Berle introduced drag to the general American public decades before RuPaul and Tyler Perry even thought about donning women’s clothing. His show business career — which included numerous acting roles on Broadway — spanned some 80 years.
 
Quote: [Ed. note: If you don’t understand the quote on the first read-though, try again. Believe it or not, it actually does make sense — sort of.] “I’d rather be a could-be if I cannot be an are; because a could-be is a maybe who is reaching for a star. I’d rather be a has-been than a might-have-been, by far; for a might have-been has never been, but a [has-been] was once an are.”
 
Sources: Wikipedia, BrainyQuote
 
Learn more about Milton Berle on Wikipedia. >>
 
Watch an episode of Texaco Star Theater from 1949 [56:31]. It’s a real blast from the past! >>
 
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