Bang the Gong Lowly



It's the birthday today for a couple of lads

Who've made inroads in their fields, a tad

One is the veteran actor Bernie Schwartz

Better known as Tony Curtis, of course



Who's had quite a film and tv career ...

Making a hundred-odd, thru the years

In roles as varied as Othello and Houdini

The Boston Strangler, Goodbye Charlie



Spartacus, The Great Race, Johnny Dark

The Defiant Ones (nominated for that part)

Sweet Smell of Success, with Burt Lancaster

And not a single one of them's a disaster ...



A word which might be used to describe

The achievements of the other primary guy

Who shares the birthday honors on this day

The creator of The Gong Show had strayed



Into the production of other shows before

Including two which opened some doors

The Newlyweds and The Dating Game

Were Chuck Barris's first claim to fame



And then more traditional games followed

Like Treasure Hunt - just a wee bit hollow

And one or two others which folded quick

Never really developing into any kind of hit



Which, assuredly, The Gong Show, was ...

Even though, tasteless ... and trashed ...

By all who saw it, and criticized, as well

Thus, infusing it with a fascinating smell



Creating a complete repetitive urgency 

(Many, only watched, in an emergency!) 

But it had a following for quite a few years ...

For even tho they booed ... inside - cheers!



- Tristram



© Christopher W. Thomas

6:10pm Thurs. June 3rd, 1999



Birthdays:



Tony Curtis's 74th

Chuck Barris's 70th



Others:



Boots Randolph's 72nd

Ian Hunter's 53rd

Suzy Quatro's 49th

Deniece Williams' 48th

Billy Powell's 47th

Dan Hill's 45th

Scott Valentine's 41st