Saturday, March 1, 2025

The Fifth Monkee, Henry Corden

The landlord is unamused. 

On a television show featuring four young musicians, someone had to play the heavy, a grown-up authority figure. Henry Corden, as landlord Mr. Babbit, fit the bill. He was always chasing the rent while the boys chased gigs, and he even chased Micky in drag, in an attempt to woo the drummer masquerading as a chaperone so the boys could invite Davy's young girlfriend to a party. 

Corden had a long career on television, getting his start in Danny Kaye's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - a personal favorite short story of mine - to being the voice of Fred Flintstone. Reviewing his entry on IMDb, his early career was a fascinating trip through history: Abbott and Costello. The Ten Commandments. Perry Mason. Dragnet. Bonanza. Gunsmoke. I Dream of Jeannie - he was Jeannie's dad! The latter part of his career was focused on voiceovers and children's programming.

Corden passed in 2005, but, according to a quote on IMDb, of all his roles, being a husband and a father was his favorite. 

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