Ethel Waters

She was posthumously recognized in 1984 by the Gospel Music Association where her name was placed in its Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Amsterdam died of a fatal heart attack in Los Angeles at the age of 87. Waters was born in Chester, Pennsylvania and died in Los Angeles, California. Amsterdam's most famous role may have been as comedy writer Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show (1962-1966), a role suggested for him by his friend Rose Marie, who also appeared on the show. Ethel Waters (October 31, 1896-September 1, 1977) was an African American vocalist who performed jazz, big band, gospel, and popular music, on Broadway and off. Among his guests was a song and dance man named Art Carney. Beginning in 1948, he appeared on the radio show "Stop Me If You've Heard This One" and began hosting his own television show, "The Morey Amsterdam Show." The latter was replaced in 1950 by a variety and talk show called Broadway Open House, television's first late-night entertainment show, on the DuMont Television Network.

During the 1930s, Amsterdam hosted a radio show and also wrote songs, including "Why Oh Why Did I Ever Leave Wyoming" and "Rum and Coca-Cola." By 1947, he was performing on three daily radio shows. His enormous repertoire and ability to come up with a joke on any subject earned him the nickname "The Human Joke Machine.". After being caught in a gun fight, Amsterdam moved to California and sought work writing jokes. By 1924, he was working in a speakeasy operated by Al Capone.

He was also a cellist, a skill which he used throughout his career. Born in Chicago, he began working in Vaudeville in 1922 as the straight man for his brother's jokes. Morey Amsterdam (December 14, 1908 - October 28, 1996) was a veteran television actor and comedian, renowned for his large, ready supply of jokes.