Jack Carter

Jack Carter was an American comedian, actor, and TV host whose fast-talking comedy style drew comparisons to Milton Berle and Morey Amsterdam. Born in Brooklyn, he began dancing on tables at age three and later served in the Army Air Forces during World War II. He hosted the DuMont variety program Cavalcade of Stars, then moved to NBC for The Jack Carter Show, which aired as part of Saturday Night Revue. He recommended Jackie Gleason as his Cavalcade replacement. On Broadway, he took over for Phil Silvers in Top Banana and appeared in the 1956 musical Mr. Wonderful opposite Sammy Davis Jr. He did impressions of Ed Sullivan and made many guest appearances on Sullivan's program, was a Match Game panelist, and played the mayor in Alligator (1980). Later came voice work on King of the Hill and the role of Fagin in a 1981 production of Oliver! at the Birmingham Theater in Michigan.