1960-1969
1960 - Juggles four temporary jobs: poor sport, man-in-the-middle, carnival organist and marketing director for a leading peanut brittle. Nothing works; attempts suicide by inhaling blimp exhaust. No luck there, either.
February, 1960 - With radio buddy, Jack Burns, flees Texas for Hollywood to pursue nightclub career as comedy team, Burns & Carlin. Leave with $300. and brand-new Dodge Dart Pioneer.
March, 1960 - Burns & Carlin take three-month job as morning radio team, "The Wright Brothers," KDAY, Hollywood.
May, 1960 - Burns & Carlin begin performing standup at Hollywood coffeehouse, Cosmo Alley.
May, 1960 - Burns & Carlin record only album, "Burns & Carlin at the Playboy Club Tonight." (Era Records EL 103). $300 advance. Actually recorded at Cosmo Alley, Hollywood; album title is a lie.
June, 1960 - Last day on radio. Burns & Carlin quit radio for night clubs.
August 1960 - Magic stuff: While playing Raquet Club in Dayton, Ohio, George meets Brenda Hosbrook. They fall in love.
October 10, 1960 - First television appearance ever. Burns & Carlin on the (Jack Paar) Tonight Show.
January 1961- Impulsively drives from New York to Dayton to ask Brenda to marry him. She accepts.
June 3, 1961 - Married in Brenda's parents' living room in Dayton. Honeymoon in Miami while Burns & Carlin play the Miami Playboy Club. George's mother shows up at honeymoon.
August 1961- Burns & Carlin detained by Dallas police (with Brenda) as armed robbery suspects (mistaken identity). Treated like shit. Fuck Texas!
March 19, 1962 - George and Jack part ways amicably to begin separate solo careers. Jack joins Second City, Chicago. A few days later, George starts solo standup career at the Gate of Horn, same city.
June 13, 1962 - First ever solo network tv appearance: The Tonight Show. Mort Sahl host. (Paar had left, Carson had not started yet.) Appearance leads nowhere in particular; dues remain.
June 15th 1963 - Daughter Kelly is born. God smiles.
January 1964 - In 1963, earns total of $11,060. With travel expenses, agent and manager it is a losing proposition. Decides to take a stand in New York; try for TV guest shots: Tonight Show, Merv Griffin or Mike Douglas (Phila.).
March 1964 - Starts doing hoots (hootenannies: glorified open-mike nights in folk clubs). Does two hoots at Cafe Wha and two at Bitter End in Greenwich Village. Spends 15 months doing intermittent but steady gigs at Cafe au Go Go on Bleeker Street. Like a gymnasium; a place to work things out on stage. Seen by Merv Griffin talent people in May 1965.
June 1965 - Does show at Blue Dog in Baltimore. No one in the audience. Show is much shorter without bothersome laughter.
July 20,1965 - First Merv Griffin Show appearance. Performed "The Indian Sergeant." (Eventually 29 Griffin shows.)
September 21, 1965 - First Mike Douglas Show appearance. "Indian Sergeant." (Eventually 22 Douglas shows.)
February 1966 - First network nighttime variety show, Jimmy Dean, ABC-TV. "The Newscast."
March 1966 - The little family moves to Los Angeles.
April 1966 - Starts taping as featured comic and writer of twelve "Kraft Summer Music Halls," starring John Davidson. Show is summer replacement for "Kraft Music Hall with Andy Williams." NBC-TV.
June 1966 - First acting job: Films "That Girl" episode as Marlo Thomas' agent, George Lester. (Airs November) My acting really sucks.
November 25,26,27, 1966 - Records first solo album, "Take Offs and Put Ons" at The Roostertail, Detroit (RCA Victor LSP-3772). Released 1967, receives Grammy nomination. Includes "Indian Sergeant," "Wonderful WINO," "Daytime Television."
May 1967 - Tapes 14 "Away We Go" variety hours as co-host with Buddy Greco and Buddy Rich, replacing Jackie Gleason Show for summer. CBS-TV.
1968 - First movie: Appears with Brian Keith and Doris Day in "With Six You Get Eggroll." Plays car hop Herbie Fleck. Acting sucks a little less, but only a little.
1969 - Fired from Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas for using the word "ass" on stage. Audience composed solely of golfing assholes from Howard Hughes Invitational Tournament. Deep, well-deserved hatred for golfers begins to take hold.
October 1969 - Drops acid. Things are looking up.