Professor Irwin Corey, also known as "The World's Foremost Authority," was born on July 29, 1914, in Brooklyn, New York. As one of seven children, he and his siblings were wards of the Brooklyn Hebrew Orphan Asylum, and during the Great Depression, he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corp. Corey's impressive physical strength and intellect earned him the title of boxing champ in the 112-pound weight class.
Before establishing himself as a professor of surrealism, Corey caught the performing bug by appearing in a borscht belt show, "Pots and Pans," in a small role. He made his debut in a musical comedy, "Oklahoma," in a U.S.O. presentation in Europe, where he played the part of the Arab peddler Ali Hakim.
Corey refined his signature "crazy professor" shtick, donning an old-fashioned tuxedo with tails, similar to Groucho Marx's style. He broke through as a stand-up comic at San Francisco's "hungry i" and New York City's Copacabana and Village Vanguard nightclubs. His lectures, characterized by a constant barrage of non-sequitur and double-talk, were rooted in word-play, reminiscent of Groucho Marx and Chico Marx's classic routines.
Corey's unique style, which often involved "Stop Making Sense," earned him praise from theater critic Kenneth Tynan, who described him as "a cultural clown, a parody of literacy, a travesty of all that our civilization holds dear and one of the funniest grotesques in America. He is Chaplin's clown with a college education."
Corey thrived on radio, appearing on Edgar Bergen's show as a tutor to Charlie McCarthy. He also made regular appearances on television, including The Jackie Gleason Show and various talk shows, such as those hosted by Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, Merv Griffin, and Mike Douglas. He also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and later on David Letterman's show.
In addition to his television work, Corey has appeared on Broadway in productions such as "Heaven on Earth," "Happy as Larry," "Fla-hooley," and "Mrs. McThing." He has also appeared in numerous episodes of series television, including The Andy Griffith Show, Doc, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour.
Corey's most recent film appearance was in Woody Allen's The Curse of the Jade Scorpion in 2001. At the age of 91, and still going strong, Professor Irwin Corey is a true legend in the world of stand-up comedy.
