Guy Marks

Guy Marks (October 31, 1923 – November 28, 1987 ) was an American actor, comedian, singer and impressionist. A familiar face on TV sitcoms and variety shows of the 1960s and 1970s, he appeared regularly on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Dean Martin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Joey Bishop Show. He had a natural gift for mimicry, and his impressions of celebrities such as Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Boris Karloff, and many others were considered among the best. However, he also could imitate a housefly on a slippery oil cloth, neon signs, alligators, driftwood furniture, rubber bands, frozen chickens, frogs, praying mantis, and — his favorite — an ostrich, all of which found their way into his act or in characters he played on TV.

Early life Marks was born Mario Scarpa Marks' final role on TV was a featured one in the 1986–87 sitcom You Again? as Harry, a poker-playing friend to the show's star Jack Klugman.

Music career Marks attracted international attention with the surprise novelty hit song "Loving You Has Made Me Bananas", which parodied the medleys and other popular music conventions of the big band era. The single first charted in April 1968. It was based on an old night-club routine of Marks, featuring an affected band singer of the radio era broadcasting from a remote Pennsylvania town. The song hit #17 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart on April 20–27, 1968, and #51 on the Hot 100 on April 27 - May 11, 1968. In Canada, it reached #53 on the RPM charts. A re-release did similarly well in 1978, reaching #25 in the UK Singles Chart. The UK chart showing led to an appearance by Marks on Top of the Pops in May 1978. Two out of the three backing singers accidentally sang "Your father had the shopfitter blues", while the other one correctly sang "Your father had the shipfitter blues."

Personal life and death Marks was married at least three times, once to Barbara Thomas (1952 to ?) then to a Kathleen(?) (1962–66) and to Judy Marie De Salle (1971 to ?). One of these marriages produced a daughter.

Marks died on November 28, 1987, at the Atlantic City Medical Center-Pomona in Pomona, NJ. At the time he was living in Brigantine, New Jersey.

Discography

Album Loving You Has Made Me Bananas (1968) Hollywood Sings as impersonated by Guy Marks

Single "Loving You Has Made Me Bananas" (1968); re-issued (1978)