Lawrence Samuel Storch (January 8, 1923 – July 8, 2022) was an American actor and comedian known for his comic television roles, including voice-over work for cartoon shows such as Mr. Whoopee on Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales. For his portrayal of the bumbling Corporal Randolph Agarn on F Troop he was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1967.
Early life Lawrence Samuel Storch was born in New York City on January 8, 1923, the son of Alfred Storch, a cabdriver and broker, and his wife, Sally Kupperman Storch, a telephone operator, jewelry-store owner and rooming-house operator. The Washington Post reported that he was born in the Bronx, whereas The New York Times reported that he was born in Manhattan and The Wall Street Journal reported that he was born on the Upper West Side. His parents were observant Jews. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx with Don Adams, who remained his lifelong friend. Storch said that, because of hard times in the Great Depression, he never graduated from high school, instead finding work as a comic for $12 a week, opening for bandleader Al Donahue at the band shell in Sheepshead Bay.
During World War II, he served in the United States Navy, where he was shipmates with Tony Curtis on the submarine tender .
Career Performing Storch was originally a comic. It led to guest appearances on dozens of television series: Mannix; Car 54, Where Are You?; Hennesey; Get Smart; Sergeant Bilko; Columbo; CHiPs; Fantasy Island; McCloud; Emergency!; The Flying Nun; Alias Smith and Jones; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; That Girl; I Dream of Jeannie; Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.; Gilligan's Island; The Doris Day Show; The Persuaders; Love, American Style; All in the Family; Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Married... with Children.
Storch was probably best known as the scheming Corporal Randolph Agarn on the 1965-67 situation comedy series F Troop, with Forrest Tucker, Ken Berry and Melody Patterson, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1967. Other memorable performances from the 1960s were Texas Jack in the barroom brawl scene of The Great Race and the eponymous character in the Groovy Guru episode of Get Smart.
In 1975, Storch teamed again with Forrest Tucker, co-starring with Bob Burns (who wore a gorilla costume) in the short-lived but popular Saturday morning children's series The Ghost Busters. He also appeared on The Love Boat, S1 E15 & S2 E9 (1978); was Al Bundy's childhood hero on Married... with Children (Al Bundy's daughter Kelly attended an acting school operated by Larry); and was a semi-regular on Car 54, Where Are You?. He co-starred on the short-lived series The Queen and I.
Variety show appearances Storch appeared on many variety shows, including Sonny and Cher, Laugh-In, Hollywood Squares, Playboy After Dark, and The Hollywood Palace, with several appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and The Steve Allen Show. Jackie Gleason asked Storch to fill in for him in the summer of 1953 while Gleason was on hiatus. It led to the 10-episode The Larry Storch Show with guest stars including Janet Blair, Risë Stevens, Dick Haymes, and Cab Calloway.
As an impressionist and voiceover actor An impressionist, Storch recreated hundreds of voices and dialects ranging from Muhammad Ali to Claude Rains and voiced characters in many television and film animations, including The Pink Panther Show, Groovie Goolies, The Inspector, The Brady Kids, Cool Cat, Koko the Clown, Treasure Island, and Tennessee Tuxedo.
During the late 1960s, Storch worked with Mel Blanc and June Foray at Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, voicing cartoon characters such as Merlin the Magic Mouse and Cool Cat. He continued his association with Filmation as a voiceover actor in other series and films the company produced, including Journey Back to Oz (1972) where he voiced Amos, farmhand to Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.
Film appearances Storch appeared in more than 25 Hollywood films, including Gun Fever (1958), Who Was That Lady? (1960), 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962), Captain Newman, M.D. (1963), Wild and Wonderful (1964), Sex and the Single Girl (1964), and The Great Race (1965). He also appeared in Bus Riley's Back in Town (1965), A Very Special Favor (1965), That Funny Feeling, (1965), The Great Bank Robbery (1969), Airport 1975 (1974), The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington (1977), Record City (1978), S.O.B (1981), Fake-Out (1982), Sweet Sixteen (1983), and A Fine Mess (1986), as well as the cult sci-fi films The Monitors (1969) and Without Warning (1980). Tony Curtis and Storch reunited for a 2003 run of the musical version of Some Like It Hot. In 2005, he worked with Anthony Michael Hall in Funny Valentine and appeared in the documentary feature The Aristocrats.
Stage work After success in television and films, Storch returned to the New York stage, having first performed on the Broadway stage in the 1950s. He received rave reviews for the Off-Broadway production of Breaking Legs. Co-starring Philip Bosco and Vincent Gardenia, the show extended several times before going on the road. Storch appeared in the Broadway productions of Porgy and Bess (which Storch considered his favorite), Arsenic and Old Lace with Jean Stapleton, Marion Ross, and Jonathan Frid, and Annie Get Your Gun with Reba McEntire. He toured the United States and Europe with Porgy and Bess.
In 2004, he was in Sly Fox with Richard Dreyfuss and his old friend Irwin Corey. Larry, then 81 and "Professor" Corey, 90, did eight shows a week. In March 2008, Storch celebrated his 50th anniversary performing on Broadway. His first Broadway appearance had been Who Was That Lady I Saw You With, later made into a 1960 film starring Dean Martin and Tony Curtis, with Storch appearing.
Storch and Dark Shadows star Marie Wallace appeared in Love Letters by A. R. Gurney on June 24, 2012, a benefit performance for the Actor's Temple in New York City.
In the summer of 2012, Storch appeared in a benefit performance of Love Letters with actress Diana Sowle (best known for her role as Mrs. Bucket in the original Willy Wonka film) in Farmville, Virginia to benefit The Tom Mix Rangers.
Comedy LPs Storch recorded a comedy LP, Larry Storch at The Bon Soir, released by Jubilee Records in the 1960s. His other records include Larry Storch Reads Philip Roth's Epstein and singles such as "Pooped" b/w "The Eighth Wonder Of The World" and a spoken-word cover of Fats Domino's "I'm Walkin'".
A month before he died, Storch recorded the blues song Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee with Mike Clark and his trio. The song was released soon after Storch's death.
Personal life Storch married actress Norma Catherine Greve on July 10, 1961. They remained married until her death at age 81 on August 28, 2003. Both briefly appeared in the made-for-television movie The Woman Hunter (1972). He had three children: a stepson, Lary May; a daughter, Candace Herman, the result of a brief encounter with his future wife, born in 1947 and placed for adoption (and later reunited); and a stepdaughter, June Cross, born in 1954 to Norma and Jimmy Cross ("Stump" of the song-and-dance team Stump and Stumpy).
Storch's younger brother, Jay (1924–1987), was an actor/voiceover performer under the name Jay Lawrence.
Death Storch died at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on July 8, 2022, at the age of 99. The Associated Press reported that he died from natural causes. The Washington Post reported that he died from complications of Alzheimer's disease.
Honors and tributes
Storch was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1967 for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series for F Troop. Storch lost to childhood friend Don Adams that year. Storch said he later remarked to Adams, “You kept it on the block.”
An episode of Animaniacs titled "The Sound of Warners" features a banner that says "Larry Storch Days / Nov 13 & 14".
In Fort Lee, New Jersey, Mayor Mark Sokolich named Storch as honorary Mayor for a Day on June 1, 2014. Storch had previously been honored by the local film commission for performing at the Riviera nightclub, which had closed 60 years earlier. He received the 2013 Barrymore Award for Lifetime Achievement in Film and TV from the Fort Lee Film Commission.
A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to Storch in 2014.
Storch was named an honorary citizen of Passaic, New Jersey, on September 13, 2016. He also received a Navy Distinguished Service Medal to recognise his World War II service.
On January 14, 2019, The Lambs honored Storch with their Shepherd's Award.
Wild West City, an amusement park in New Jersey, renamed one of its storefronts “Larry Storch’s Silver Dollar Saloon” in his honor.
Storch was named an Honorary Friar in early 2019 at a ceremony with Dick Cavett at the New York Friars Club.
On his 97th birthday, Storch was presented with a Proclamation from the State of New York.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1951 The Prince Who Was a Thief 1958 Gun Fever Amigo 1959 The Last Blitzkrieg Ennis 1960 Who Was That Lady? Orenov 1962 40 Pounds of Trouble Floyd 1963 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Oscar Blenny Season 1 Episode 26: "An Out for Oscar"1963 Captain Newman, M.D. Corporal Gavoni 1964 Wild and Wonderful Rufus Gibbs 1964 Sex and the Single Girl Motorcycle Cop 1965–1967 F Troop Corporal Randolph Agarn 1965 Bus Riley's Back in Town Howie 1965 Pink Panther Narrator / Talking Weight Machine / Man Two shorts1965 The Great Race Texas Jack 1965 A Very Special Favor Harry the Taxi Driver 1965 That Funny Feeling Luther 1965–1966 The Inspector The Commissioner / Surgeon Two shorts1967 I Dream of Jeannie Sam S3E1 Fly Me to the Moon1968 Mannix Bernie Farmer S1E20 Another Final Exit1968 That Girl John McKenzie 1968 Gomer Pyle – USMC General Manuel Cortez S4E15 & S5E121969 Get Smart Groovy Guru Episode: "The Groovy Guru"1969 The Great Bank Robbery Juan 1969 The Monitors P.A. Stutz 1969–1970 The Pink Panther Show The Commissioner / Surgeon / Narrator / Talking Weight Machine / Man 10-12 episodes 1970 Hard Frame Rudy LeRoy TV movie1970 Groovie Goolies Drac / Wolfie / Various TV Animation1971 The Persuaders Angie S1E10 Angie...Angie1971 Aesop's Fables Hare, Rooster and Old Tortoise Voice, TV movie1972 Journey Back to Oz Amos Voice1972 The Woman Hunter Raconteur 1973 Emergency! Ben Wesley and Jake the Escape Artist S2E6 Saddled & S3E14 Computer Error1973 Treasure Island Captain Smollett Voice1973 All In The Family Bill Mulheron S3E16 Oh Say Can You See1974 Oliver Twist Magistrate Fang Voice1974 Columbo Mr. Weekly Negative Reaction1974 Airport 1975 Glenn Purcell 1977 The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington Robby Boggs 1978 Record City Deaf Man 1979 Jack Frost Papa Voice1980 Without Warning Scoutmaster 1981 S.O.B. The Guru 1981 Peter-No-Tail Max Voice, English version1982 Fake-Out Ted 1982 The Flight of Dragons Pawnbroker Voice1983 Sweet Sixteen Earl 1986 The Perils of P.K. 1986 A Fine Mess Leopold Klop 1987 Medium Rare 1992 I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore Giora 1994 The Silence of the Hams Sergeant 1995 Married... with Children Himself Episode: Something Larry This Way Comes (S9, E21)2005 Funny Valentine Dennis 2005 Bittersweet Place Ira Tatz 2005 The Aristocrats Himself Final Role
References
Further reading Articles Leslie (November 11, 1942). "House Reviews: Olympia, Miami". Variety. p. 47 Huts. (January 16, 1946). "Night Club Reviews: Ciro's, Hollywood". Variety. p. 54 Mildred Martin (April 20, 1946). "Benny Goodman at Earle". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 16 Elie. (May 8, 1946). "House Reviews: RKO, Boston". Variety. p. 62 Stal. (July 9, 1952). "Television Reviews: Cavalcade of Stars". Variety. p. 30 Karr, John (April 2, 1987). "Jim and Judy, Judy and Larry". Bay Area Reporter. pp. 29, 31
Books Smith, Ronald L. (1993). Comic Support: Second Bananas in the Movies. Secaucus, N.J.: Carol Publishing Group. pp. 221–222. .
External links