Marty Feldman
A British comic genius with unmistakable bulging eyes, who wrote for and performed alongside the greatest comedians of his generation.
1934–1982 (age 48)·British actor and comedian·Birthday: July 8·The Silent Generation
Biography
Marty Feldman’s wild, staring eyes were the door to a deeply inventive comic mind. He started as a jazz musician before finding his calling in writing, first for British radio and then for groundbreaking television shows like 'The Frost Report' and 'At Last the 1948 Show,' where he helped craft the absurdist style that would define Monty Python. His transition to performer was seamless; his own series, 'Marty,' won BAFTAs. Hollywood called, and he stole scenes in Mel Brooks’s 'Young Frankenstein' as Igor, delivering lines with a chaotic energy that made him an international star. Feldman’s comedy was physical, intellectual, and deeply strange, a product of a writer’s understanding of structure and a performer’s fearless commitment to the bit. His influence persists in every comedian who values clever writing punctuated by perfectly timed anarchy.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Marty was born in 1934, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marty Was Born
The biggest hits of 1934
#1 Movie
It Happened One Night
Best Picture
It Happened One Night
Marty's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1934Born
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1939Started school
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1947Became a teenager
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Could drive
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1952Could vote
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Turned 21
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1964Turned 30
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 40
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1982Died at 48
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
Key Achievements
- Won two BAFTA awards for Best Light Entertainment Performance for his own BBC sketch series 'Marty' in 1969 and 1970.
- Co-wrote seminal British comedy programs like 'The Frost Report,' shaping the style of icons like John Cleese and the Monty Python team.
- Delivered an iconic film performance as Igor in Mel Brooks's classic comedy 'Young Frankenstein.'
Did You Know?
His distinctive bulging eyes were the result of a thyroid condition known as Graves' disease.
He was a talented trumpet player and initially pursued a career as a jazz musician.
He directed and starred in the cult comedy film 'The Last Remake of Beau Geste.'
He was a strict vegetarian and wrote a vegetarian cookbook.
“Comedy is a serious business. You have to treat it with great respect to get the laughs.”
