Bill Dana:  
  2008  
     
     
     
     
 
 

Bill Dana
The Bar Mitzvah of Jose Jimenez

When Bill Dana had the idea to come back after a 30-year hiatus from the limelight and found the American Comedy Archives no one knew what would result. The ensuing three-year project archiving, interviewing and honoring the living legends of comedy produced a happy byproduct: the friendship between a young filmmaker and an octegenarian icon. Bill and Jenni began the task of recording the memoirs of his incredible life both on and off the small screen.

Allowed access to the ever-active mind of a comedic genius, Matz recorded her sessions with Bill Dana and is editing the collected stories of the man who wrote for Steve Allen and Don Adams, discovered Buck Henry and employed Don Knotts, was the pal and mascot to the Mercury 7 NASA astronauts, performed with Milton Berle at JFK’s inaugural, became an icon with the line “My Name.. Jose Jimenez”,  penned the ever-classic “All in the Family” episode with Sammy Davis, Jr., started his own television network, was rescued by a playboy pinup in Jamaica, and oh, too many juicy stories to tell!

This film is currently in production.

www.Bill-Dana.com

 
 

BillDanaRetrospective.mpg

5:59 @ 32 MB
     



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