Imogene Coca
Imogene Coca (1908-2001) is best remembered for starring opposite Sid Caesar in “Your Show of Shows” which ran February 1950 until June 1954 and featured an array of comedic sketches. Although Coca received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy (1988), she began her career as “one of those horrible little children who sing with no voice” and stumbled upon comedy quite by accident in the production of “New Faces of 1934” choreographed by Leonard Stillman. As the story goes one day Stillman gave her a large coat to wear in the cold theater and she and three dancers began jumping around and improvising dance steps to keep warm. The routine was incorporated into the show and eventually even the critics were laughing at the comedic effect. During her career Coca won an Emmy for Best Actress (1952), a Peabody Award (1954), a Lucy Award (1995), she is a Star on the Walk of Fame for Television, and was nominated for five other Emmys (1951, 1954, 1988) including two nominations for Best Comedienne (1952, 1953).