Clearly my most watched and favorite video on YouTube is of Dan Horn, one of the world's best ventriloquists. Dan came onto the entertainment scene before Jeff Dunham and Terry Fator. Dan was a cast member of the longest running children's television show produced in Arizona called Wallace and Ladmo.
Dan was a real friend of the show and performed several times on Backstage Pass and Backstage in Arizona. This video was taken from his nightclub act and was not presented for young viewers because the puppet Orson was a favorite on children's television in Arizona.
An interesting story behind the scenes is that I had asked Dan to perform on my series Backstage in Arizona. I had bought prime time airing which was 7 pm on all the local cable channels in the valley (Phoenix).
Dan had a good act that included a bit of "blue" material with his puppet Orson.
When Dan showed up at work the next day to tape the next episode of Wallace and Ladmo, Wallace asked him if he had been on TV last night doing his adult nightclub act? Dan got really nervous and said that he didn't know, but maybe? (He had no idea when the program was due to be aired). Wallace said, - Well, Chuck Alvey (program director of KPHO) wants to see you and there's a rumor that you are getting fired.
Apprehensively, Dan walked down the hall to Chuck's office. He told me that it was the longest walk of his life. Just as he put his hand on the door nob Wallace yelled, "just kidding, Dan".
Eventually this helped propel Dan into a headline nightclub career, appearing on TV, and receiving awards for his ventriloquism act.
Nowadays Dan can be found performing on cruise ships and on his own channel on YouTube.
Hope you enjoy the show! Joel
Dan and me Posing onstage for Storer Cable TV Comedy Hour
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