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Bob and Ray

Bob Elliot and Ray Goulding were one of the funniest comedy duos of all time. As a Canadian, I'm partial to Wayne and Shuster. But I also loved the American team of Abbot and Costello. And of course Britain's The Two Ronnies made me split my gut. But I also found Bob and Ray immensely funny.

They were often on Johnny Carson during the 70s. By that time they'd spent decades on both radio and television, beginning in the 1940s. Goulding died in 1990. Ray lives on. He's the father of Chris Elliot, funny in his own right in such things as Robbie's creepy brother in-law in Everybody Loves Raymond. And the comedic genes have been passed down to grandaughter Abby Elliot, a featured performer on Saturday Night Live.

According to Ray Goulding, the billing "Bob and Ray" came from their first radio show "Matinee with Bob and Ray" which they thought sounded better than "Matinob with Ray and Bob".

Here's an animated Bob and Ray in a 50s beer commercial


And here they are in one of the few videotaped routines found on the internet...

Comments

The Mother said…
I love Bob and Ray! We've been listening to their bits on the xm comedy channel.

See, you can be funny without being sexist or profane.
nonamedufus said…
Mother: Yeah, their routines were priceless!
Venom said…
My favourite duo - Bob & Doub McKenzie, eh?
The Mother said…
I love Bob and Ray! We've been listening to their bits on the xm comedy channel.

See, you can be funny without being sexist or profane.

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