Beyond Vaudeville

Beyond Vaudeville was a New York City public-access television show that ran from 1986 to 1996. The talk/variety show featured amateur talents and nostalgia-inducing celebrities housed within the confines of a crowded, Manhattan-based public access television station. Awkward host Frank Hope and his violence-prone sidekick David Greene created strange and uncomfortably compelling television. Frank was a fidgety collector-type who enjoyed Wacky Packages and Star Trek; David a silent behemoth who only spoke out of anger. For many of the episodes, Joey the Dancing Monkey (played by John Walsh) gets called by Frank to come out and dance, and various puppets appear behind the seats of the guests while they get interviewed, sometimes attempting to annoy David. Celebrity guests, including the likes of Tiny Tim, Fred Willard, and Bobby “Boris” Pickett (“Monster Mash”), shared the stage with amateur singers, dancers, and Klingons, their surprised and befuddled reactions to the talent often mirroring those of the viewers. In 1997, MTV brought the show to cable under the title Oddville, MTV, a fundamentally similar program that featured celebrity guests and bands that were meant to appeal to the youth of today rather than yesterday.

Cast

 * Rich Brown as host Frank Hope
 * David Greene as co-host David
 * John Walsh as Joey the Dancing Monkey

Recurring Guests

 * Lady Betty Aberlin (Mr. Rogers)
 * Izzy Fertel (singer)
 * Professional nose-whistler Jim Grosso
 * M. Vinson Hayes (Marilyn Monroe conspiracy expert)
 * Sci-fi expert Ronald Held
 * Sci-fi collector Leslie Holcomb
 * Suzanne Muldowney (interpretive dancer)
 * Dee Nack the Female Elvis Impersonator
 * Red Lightning (singer)
 * Stryker (singer)
 * Arthur Tracy (singer)
 * Chairman Steve (poet)
 * Tiny Tim (musician)
 * Trayman (performs with trays)
 * Austin Velez (singer)
 * Neil Connie Wallace (comic)