Vintage 1950s mail order Laughs Unlimited Price List & Sample Monologue
Original mid-century comedy trade ephemera issued by Laughs Unlimited (276 West 43rd Street, NYC) from the archive of Emcee Pinkney Roberts. An exceptional look into the mid-century commercial gag-writing trade and working comedy circuits. It features an original printed monologue written by Emmy Award–winning TV comedy head writer Stan Burns (1923-2002) (The Carol Burnett Show, Get Smart, The Tonight Show Starring Steve Allen) alongside writer/cartoonist Art Paul.
Laughs Unlimited Price List Sheet (with Pinkney Roberts Field Notes): Features itemized rates ($1–$3) for "Gag Files," monologues, skits, and band comedy, boasting credits for legends like
Mae West, Milton Berle, Bert Lahr, and
Jerry Colonna.
Important Historical Marginalia: The bottom margin contains extensive period handwritten contact notes used by Emcee/comic Pinkney Roberts while on tour. Notes reference
"Bennie" at 610 Gold Street and
"Owen Ray" at Druid Hill & Oxford, placing this document directly inside
West Baltimore's historic mid-century Black entertainment district
"School Monologue" Sample Copy Sheet: A full-page typed comedy monologue, explicitly attributed at the top: "by Stan Burns and Art Paul."
Details & Condition:
Publisher: Laughs Unlimited (276 W 43rd St, New York City)
Era: Circa late 1950s – early 1960s
Condition: 8.5" x14' In Working Vintage condition. Tears at top and bottom, mailing folds, creasing, age-toning and edge wear. (all text remains fully intact and legible).