Impressive Impressionists

I have a thing for impressionists and celebrity impersonaters. Those who can really nail another person's characteristics to the point where you can hardly distinguish between true and false.  Whether it's actors and comedians doing impressions of their fellow colleagues or if it's everyday folks in one's life who happen to have a terrific gift of imitating other persons' distinct features to the letter.

As I've mentioned in the sidebar of my blog, down below, I'm a big fan of the show The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-84), because it's simply MADE for impressionists - and their fans! Not to mention, it's eye and ear candy for a classic film fan to watch the old stars and comedians interact and play jokes on each other, displaying their manifold friendships across years and collaborations in the same business.

Some of my favorite impressionists or favorite impression-moments are:

Frank Gorshin appeared on the show several times - here doing Richard Burton and Burt Lancaster to PERFECTION 'til everybody around (including myself) are convulsed with laughter! Notice, Don Rickles just breaking down, lol!

Another impressionist appearing on the show is Rich Little. He simply nailed it in his Jimmy Stewart impressions - even better than the man himself as in this example, lol! ;) Besides he was also excellent at doing George Burns, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Truman Capote, Jack Benny among others.

And is it only me or could this guy be Steve Martin's twin brother or what?!? His face, his voice, his body language, everything..! How ironic. And they're almost the same age, too.

***OBS! Unfortunately, and to my great disappointment, most of the linked videos have been removed from YouTube for some reason (I presume copyright infringement as usual), but I sincerely hope it is possible to find or re-upload them again somewhere.