Good evening.

It is so nice to see you again.

As always thank you so much for watching and supporting PBS Kansas and Inside the Cover.

I so enjoy spending these few precious minutes with you talking about books, writers, and the joys and importance of reading.

If you like history, television, comedy, personality studies, or if you are around my age, I think you will enjo reading tonight's featured book.

When Caesar was King by David Margolick.

It is now time to go inside the cover.

I read a review of this book in a recent edition of the New Yorker magazine and I was instantly intrigued.

It was published in 202 by Schocken Books of New York, and it was written by David Margolick, subtitled How Sid Caesar Reinvented American Comedy.

It provides an in-depth look at Sid Caesar, his career, and his life.

The book is part of Next Book's Jewish Encounters series.

Margolick was not an author I was previously aware of, although he has written a number of books, including At the Bar, The Passions and Peccadilloes of American Lawyers.

Perhaps I should read that one as well.

He has also writte books about Billie Holiday, Joe Louis and Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy.

Margolick was born in 1952, and he earned a B.A.

from the University of Michiga and a law degree from Stanford.

He is a long time contributing editor at Vanity Fair.

For those of you around my vintage, Sid Caesar really needs no introduction.

As I was being introduced and exposed to the wonders of the little box with three channels in black and white, Sid Caesar was dominating the airwaves.

His Show of Shows with costars Carl Reiner, Imogene Coca and Howard Morris ran from 1950 to 1954.

That was followed by Caesar's Hour, which ran for three years from 1954 to 1957.

Both were performed live and were must see TV.

Of course, the viewing options were much more limited.

Caesar was a comic actor and comedian.

His performing career spanned 60 years and he influenced generations of comedians.

According to Margolick, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Jonathan Winters, and Phyllis Diller studied him.

Seeing his show in person persuaded Joan Rivers to go into the business.

I might also note that Woody Allen, Neil Simon and Mel Brooks were among those who wrote material for Caesar over the years.

This book chronicle Caesar's life, which of course, revolved around his comedy and his career.

By waiting on tables in hi parents 24 hour luncheonette, he learned to mimic the rhythm and accents of the diverse clientele which he used throughout his career.

Margolick writes about the influences of Caesar's Jewish background, and he addresses the highs and lows of Caesar's life, his mood swings, his years of alcoholism and substance abuse, his battles with his weight, and his extravagant lifestyle.

Caesar was highly compensated for his work.

I also very much enjoyed the references to life in New York City and Caesar's offices and his homes in the upscale suburbs.

What I found to be a fascinating undercurren of the book was the development and growth of television and the television industry, as the ability to watch more and more stations moved from the East Coast to Middle America and beyond, tastes changed.

Margolick notes that it was The Lawrence Welk Show that caused viewers and television sponsors to say goodbye to Sid Caesar.

Margolicks boo doesn't pull any punches as it addresses the life and career of Sid Caesar.

It is well-researched and, I think, carefully written to illuminate the fascinating personality and the business that shaped his life.

I am glad I read this book, and I am happy to recommend it to you positively.

I found it to be a very worthwhile read.

That's our show.

We have discussed David Margolicks latest book, When Caesar Was King.

Good night and I look forward to our next conversation right here on Inside the Cover.