Who the hell is Charles Nelson Reilly?
"Openly gay when it wasn't cool, Charles Nelson Reilly was much more than anyone knew: actor, teacher, writer, director and staple icon of '70s TV; always entertaining and always telling it like it is."
If, in 1940, you had a lobotomized aunt, an institutionalized father, a racist mother, and were the only gay kid on the block, what do you think the odds would be that you'd end up a Tony winner, a staple of television, and a generational icon?
Enter The Life Of Reilly. The cliché goes that truth is stranger than fiction. In this case, it is also funnier and more heartbreaking. Charles Nelson Reilly, famous for his game show innuendos and "X Files" guest appearances, takes us through his bizarre, star-studded, tragic, hilarious, and ultimately amazing life with a potent blend of tenderness and quick one-liners.
The Life Of Reilly is an adaptation of Mr. Reilly's acclaimed one-man show and was photographed for the screen during the late Mr. Reilly's final performance of his play in North Hollywood, California.
EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT!
STARTS DECEMBER 14 AT THE KEY!
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Jolene@foodiemom.com : RE: Who the hell is Charles Nelson Reilly? More..
He was on the old game show Match Game in the '70s when I was a kid. And also on HR Puffnstuff. That was a wacky show. It was set in Lidsville, where everything was alive and the people, such as they were, lived in hats (Lidsville, hats, get it?). Charles Nelson Reilly's character lived in a top hat. The villain was a witch named Witcheypoo.
Hey, it was the '70s after all.
At the risk of seeming too picky, CNR was on Lidsville as the the evil Magician Hoo-Doo. It was a separate show, created by the same guys that created Puffenstuff. Butch Patrick, of Eddie Munster fame, played the lead character.
Reilly was awesome!!
Alec Baldwin did a killer impression of CNR during an "Inside the Actor's Studio" sketch one time on 'Saturday Night Live.' I mean, it was brilliant. CNR was also really good as Jose Chung on 'X-Files' and later 'Millenium.'
Jolene@foodiemom.com : RE: Who the hell is Charles Nelson Reilly? More..
Those Sid & Marty Kroft shows all seem to run together in my kidhood Saturday morning memories. Lidsville, HR Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, the Bugaloos....
PitBullGirl : RE: Who the hell is Charles Nelson Reilly? More..
OMG, thank you Channing! I was going to say that! The SNL skit was great."Betty White laughed so hard her boob fell out!"
keycinemas : RE: Who the hell is Charles Nelson Reilly? More..
THE LIFE OF REILLY OPENS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14 AT THE KEY!

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