It's the birthday of "The King of the One Liners!" Henny Youngman was born March 16, 1906.

In a time when many comedians told stories, Henny Youngman's routine consisted of one-liner jokes, occasionally with interludes of violin playing. The jokes depicted simple, cartoon-like situations, eliminating lengthy build-ups and going straight to the punch line. The famous gossip columnist, Walter Winchell, labeled him, "The King of the One Liners." A stage performance by Youngman lasted only 15 to 20 minutes but contained dozens of jokes in rapid-fire succession.

Click the Henny image to see and hear him trade insults with Milton Berle. And, play the violin! (Aw, click the image anyway!)

Henny Youngman began as a comedian after he had worked for years at a print shop, where he wrote "comedy cards" containing one-line gags. The comedy cards were discovered by up-and-coming comedian Milton Berle, who encouraged Youngman and formed a close friendship with him. Berle said about him, "The only thing funnier than Henny's jokes is his violin playing."

Click the Jest(er)-Henny image for some rapid-fire delivery!

Youngman never retired. He performed his stage act all over the world until his final days. (He died in 1998.) He never considered himself aloof or above others, and he never refused to perform a show in a small venue or unknown club.

Roger Ebert illustrated this point as follows:

"I once observed Henny Youngman taping a TV show in the old NBC studios at the Merchandise Mart. We got into an elevator together. It stopped at the second floor, a private club. A wedding was under way. Youngman got off the elevator, asked to meet the father of the bride and said, 'I'm Henny Youngman. I'll do 10 minutes for $100.'"

When the New York Telephone Company started its Dial-a-Joke in 1974, over three million people called in one month to hear 30 seconds of Youngman's material—the most ever for a comedian.

Henny's traveling salesman joke!

Henny on the David Letterman Late Night show, talking about this career and the origin of "Take my wife, please!"

... More Henny!

If you're going to do something tonight that you'll be sorry for tomorrow morning, sleep late.

I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up - they have no holidays.

I've got all the money I'll ever need, if I die by four o'clock.

What's the use of happiness? It can't buy you money.

If at first you don't succeed... so much for skydiving.

You can't buy love, but you can pay heavily for it.