He was born on May 11, 1912, in Louisville, Kentucky, grew up in Rochester, New York, and died of natural causes on December 20, 2001, in Encino, California. He was best known as “The Lovable Lush,” for his TV appearances on variety programs like The Dean Martin Show. His name was Foster Brooks, and this is his story.
Foster Brooks left school after the 6th grade and began a career as a newscaster and disc jockey in his hometown of Louisville.
For a time, Brooks worked at WHAM AM Radio in Rochester, New York, and on TV at WGR & WKW in Buffalo, where he hosted The Musical Clock and Million Dollar Ballroom.
In Buffalo, Brooks also performed with a country and western group called the Hi-Hatters.
Moving to the West Coast, Brooks began to perform stand-up comedy and character acting.
Singer/TV personality Perry Como caught Brooks’ drunk act at a celebrity golf tournament and invited him to be his opening act at the new Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas.
Between appearing on bit parts on TV shows, Brooks got odd jobs delivering phone books or picking up packages at the post office at Christmas. But he made his national debut on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.