Gary Mule Deer

Last updated
Gary Mule Deer
Gary Mule Deer Combustible Chicken 2009.jpg
Mule Deer in 2009
Born
Gary C. Miller

(1939-11-21) November 21, 1939 (age 83)
Occupation(s) Actor, comedian, musician
Website www.garymuledeer.com

Gary Mule Deer (born Gary C. Miller; November 21, 1939) is an American comedian and country musician.

Contents

Biography

During a career spanning six decades, Gary Mule Deer has performed on many major concert stages in the United States, and has made over 350 television appearances, including many on both The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson and the Late Show with David Letterman , both of whose hosts he had met early in his career at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. He was one of six comedians, along with Jay Leno, to star on the first HBO comedy special, Freddie Prinze and Friends, was the co-host of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert for four years on NBC, a regular on Make Me Laugh , and a frequent judge on The Gong Show . He has made over 100 appearances on The Nashville Network, including the last two years as a cast member on Hee Haw . [1] He has appeared in films such as Annie Hall , Up In Smoke and Tilt . He is featured on the DVDs "Jeff Foxworthy's Comedy Classics" and "The World's Greatest Stand-up Comedy Collection" hosted by Norm Crosby. He also has a Gary Mule Deer Live CD of his comedy and music. Gary is one of the most-played comedians on the Clean Comedy Channels of both Sirius and XM Satellite Radio.

After being a member of Epic Records' music group The Back Porch Majority, RCA Victor's The New Society, and Paramount Records' Bandanna in the 1960s, he joined with Denny Flannigan in the early 1970s to form a comedy act called "The Muledeer and Moondog Medicine Show". [2] They became regulars on The John Byner Comedy Hour on CBS, Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour on ABC, and Madhouse 90 With David Frost on NBC, and were frequent guests on The Midnight Special and In Concert . They also traveled for six years, performing at comedy clubs, the Playboy Clubs and the college circuit. They opened for many Rock bands, including the Doobie Brothers, Sly and the Family Stone, The Guess Who, and Boz Scaggs.

Gary Mule Deer entertains regularly at casinos in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City and Reno. On January 10, 2009, he appeared at Carnegie Hall. [3] For over 15 years, he has been touring in concert as special guest with Johnny Mathis. He performs often on the Grand Ole Opry stage, and was invited to become a member of the Opry on January 6, 2023.

Mule Deer was once roommates with comedian Steve Martin and musician Michael Johnson. [4] Mule Deer supplied the first joke Martin submitted to Tommy Smothers on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour . [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>Grand Ole Opry</i> Country music concert and radio and television program in Nashville, Tennessee, US

The Grand Ole Opry is an American weekly live country music radio broadcast from – and a several nights per week performance held at – the Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment, it is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history. Dedicated to honoring country music and its history, the Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music as well as comedic performances and skits. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and millions of radio and internet listeners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Martin</span> American comedian, actor, musician and writer (born 1945)

Stephen Glenn Martin is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominated for two Tony Awards for his musical Bright Star in 2016. Among many honors, he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2005, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007, and an AFI Life Achievement Award in 2015. In 2004, Comedy Central ranked Martin at sixth place in a list of the 100 greatest stand-up comics. The Guardian named him one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smothers Brothers</span> American singers, musicians and comedians

The Smothers Brothers are Thomas and Richard, American folk singers, musicians, and comedians. The brothers' trademark double act was performing folk songs, which usually led to arguments between them. Tommy's signature line was "Mom always liked you best!" Tommy acted "slow" and Dick, the straight man, acted "superior".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Smothers</span> American comedian, composer and musician (born 1937)

Thomas Bolyn Smothers III is an American comedian, composer and musician, best known as half of the musical comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, alongside his younger brother Dick.

<i>The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour</i> American comedy series

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was an American comedy and variety show television series hosted by the Smothers Brothers and initially airing on CBS from 1967 to 1969.

Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a compère or host. The variety format made its way from the Victorian era stage in Britain and America to radio and then television. Variety shows were a staple of English language television from the late 1940s into the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Clark</span> American singer, musician, and TV host (1933–2018)

Roy Linwood Clark was an American singer, musician, and television presenter. He is best known for having hosted Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969 to 1997. Clark was an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and in helping to popularize the genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryman Auditorium</span> United States historic place

Ryman Auditorium is a historic 2,362-seat live-performance venue located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in the downtown core of Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark, National Historic Landmark, and the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, it is one of the most influential and revered concert halls in the world. It is best known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. It is owned and operated by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. Ryman Auditorium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was later designated as a National Historic Landmark on June 25, 2001, for its pivotal role in the popularization of country music. A storied stage for Rock & Roll artists for decades, the Ryman was named a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porter Wagoner</span> American country singer-songwriter and entertainer 1927–2007)

Porter Wayne Wagoner was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mason Williams</span> American musician

Mason Douglas Williams is an American classical guitarist, composer, singer, writer, comedian, and poet, best known for his 1968 instrumental "Classical Gas" and for his work as a comedy writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and Saturday Night Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Steinberg</span> American comedian, actor, director, and writer

David Steinberg is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, director, and author. At the height of his popularity, during the late 1960s and mid 1970s, he was one of the best-known comics in the United States. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson more than 130 times and served as guest host 12 times, the youngest person ever to guest-host. Steinberg directed several films and episodes of television situation comedies, including Seinfeld, Friends, Mad About You, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Golden Girls, and Designing Women. Since 2012, Steinberg has hosted the interview program Inside Comedy on the Showtime network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uncle Dave Macon</span> American musician

David Harrison Macon, known professionally as Uncle Dave Macon, was an American old-time banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian. Known as "The Dixie Dewdrop", Macon was known for his chin whiskers, plug hat, gold teeth, and gates-ajar collar, he gained regional fame as a vaudeville performer in the early 1920s before becoming the first star of the Grand Ole Opry in the latter half of the decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randall Franks</span> American actor, musician and author

Randall Franks is an American film and television actor, author, and bluegrass singer and musician who plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and mountain dulcimer. He was inducted into the Tri-State Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2022; and America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019; Independent Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013; recognized by the International Bluegrass Music Museum & Hall of Fame in 2010 as a Bluegrass Legend; the Carolinas Country, Bluegrass and Gospel Hall of Fame presented him it’s Legend Award and designated him as the “Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle” in 2010; inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004; and was designated by Catoosa County, Ga. as "Appalachian Ambassador of the Fiddle" in 2004; and was inducted into the Chamber Business Person Hall of Fame and honored as Patriotic Citizen of the Year in 2020. He was chosen as the first 2020 AirPlay Direct Evolution Grant Artist (www.AirPlayDirect.com).

<i>The Midnight Special</i> (TV series) American late-night musical variety television series

The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series originally broadcast on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was on May 1, 1981. The 90-minute program followed the Friday night edition of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

<i>The Steve Allen Show</i> Television series

The Steve Allen Show was an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on ABC, and in first-run syndication from 1962 to 1964.

<i>The Music Scene</i> (TV series) Television series featuring rock and pop music

The Music Scene is a television series aired by the ABC Television Network in its Fall 1969 lineup, featuring primarily rock and pop music. The 45-minute program aired Mondays at 7:30 pm. It was paired with a second 45-minute program, The New People, to form a 90-minute block intended to compete with the more popular offering on NBC, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

Henry Cho is an American stand-up comedian. His work can be heard nationwide several times weekly on SiriusXM Radio's Channel 98, Laugh USA, Sirius Radio's Jeff and Larry's Comedy Roundup Channel 97, and Pandora Radio's PG Comedy Radio Channel. Cho is notable for being one of the only Asian-American acts to appear regularly on the Grand Ole Opry and, on January 6, 2023, became the first Asian-American invited to become a member of the Opry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Brasfield</span> American singer-songwriter (1910–1958)

Rodney Leon Brasfield was an American comedian who was prominently featured on the Grand Ole Opry from 1947 until his death in 1958. In 1987, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Buddy Spicher is an American country music fiddle player. He is a member of The Nashville A-Team of session musicians, and is Grammy-nominated. He was nominated as Instrumentalist of the Year by CMA in 1983 and 1985. He was the first fiddler in the "Nashville Cats" series of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He recorded with virtually every major country star of the sixties, seventies, and early eighties, including Faron Young, Johnny Paycheck Little Jimmy Dickens, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Don Williams, Dolly Parton, Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn, Bob Wills, Asleep at the Wheel, Don Francisco, Ray Price, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Bill Monroe, David Allan Coe, and Emmylou Harris.

References

  1. Lawrence, Tom (5 March 2008). "Gary Mule Deer to perform show at BHSU". Black Hills Pioneer .
  2. Jones, Loyal (2008). Country Music Humorists and Comedians. University of Illinois Press. pp. 277–279. ISBN   978-0252033698.
  3. Brooke, Kasondra (12 January 2009). "Local musician, comedian plays at Carnegie Hall". Black Hills Pioneer .
  4. Martin, Steve (2008). Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life . Charles Scribner's Sons. p.  102. ISBN   978-1416553656.
  5. Freeman, Marc - ‘The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour’ at 50: The Rise and Fall of a Groundbreaking Variety Show. Hollywood Reporter. November 25, 2017 ("It has been shown that more people watch TV than any other appliance.")