"Bob and Ray's jokes were remarkably literary, being fun to read as well as to hear... They are so twangingly attuned to their era and to each other that they can go on being extremely funny almost indefinitely." -Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., from the Foreword After twenty-nine years of making America laugh by way of radio, television and the theater, here, in glorious triumph, are Bob and Ray, "those two extraordinarily creative and hilariously witty men" (Alec Wilder), in their first book. Bob and Ray were an American comedy duo whose career spanned five decades. Composed of comedians Bob Elliott (1923-2016) and Ray Goulding (1922-1990), the duo's format was typically to satirize the medium in which they were performing, such as conducting radio or television interviews, with off-the-wall dialogue presented in a generally deadpan style as though it was a serious broadcast. From the first memorable radio appearances in Boston and New York, to their television shows, to their inspired commercials, to their uproarious Broadway show, here are dozens of their very best pieces, which, as the Wall Street Journal said of them on Broadway, "gently, relentlessly, hilariously pierce the protective armor of just about every red-blooded American type you can think of." Within these pages, embellished with photographs and cariactures, are such classics as Mary Backstayge, Noble Wife; Emer W. Litzinger, Spy; Prodigy Street (featuring Mr. Wise Old Owl andWally, theWord Man); and the amazing Mr. Science ("You wouldn't try to slip me the old rubber peach just because I'm a gullible child, would you, Mr.Science?"). Not to mention visits with such notable gentlemen as Bert and Harry Piel, Lawrence Fechtenberger, and the redoubtable Tippy, the Wonder Dog. Pick up their book, open it and enjoy - welcome to the incomparable world of "the last true gentlemen of comedy," Bob and Ray.

Write If You Get Work: The Best of Bob and Ray

Bob Elliott

Ray Goulding

Random Hoiuse (1975)

Scripts from Bob and Ray's television and radio programs poke fun at news shows, soap operas, and American society

From Approximately Coast to Coast...It's the Bob and Ray Show

Humor & Entertainment

Radio

Scribner

Bob and Ray's whimsically ridiculous dialogues and subtly satirical glances at the world have regaled audiences for fifty years -- on local and network radio and television, in movies and commercials, on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall, and in three delightful books. In an exclusive performance of skits from their third book, these beloved humorists take you into their world of restrained craziness and of gentle and relentless satire. 2 cassettes.

The New! Improved! Bob and Ray Book

Humor

Audio Partners

In less time than it takes to fly from New York to Chicago, readers of Make Your Point! will know exactly what to do to master the spoken word. The authors, two seasoned and streetwise corporate communication coaches, have written a book that's lively, witty and gives down-to-earth advice for every businessperson and college student who wants to be a first-rate communicator.  So whether you have to give a presentation, sell, write a paper, or interview for a job, this book will help you get your message across.

Make Your Point! (Hardcover)

Bob Elliott Kevin Carroll

Business & Money

Second Avenue Press

The Very Best of Bob and Ray: Legends of Comedy

Highbridge Audio and Blackstone Publishing

These cassettes feature Mary and Harry Backstayge and all the gang as they travel to Casablanca, Marrakesh and back to Skunkhaven, Long Island, in a series of increasingly improbable adventures.

Bob & Ray: The Soap Operas, Volume Three, featuring: Mary Backstayge, Noble Wife (50 Selections--4 Cassettes, 4 Hours)

Literature & Fiction

Contemporary

Radio Art

Bob & Ray: The Soap Operas, Volume Four, featuring: Mary Backstayge, Noble Wife (35 Selections--4 Cassettes, 4 Hours)

Bob & Ray the Lost Episodes, Volume 1

Over 60 years in the making from 78s to earbuds. All of the RadioArt® Bob &amp; Ray recordings (90 Hours/1,837 tracks including six unreleased bonus tracks*) loaded on a USB flash drive. These high quality MP3's can be loaded onto your Mac, PC, tablet, smart phone or MP3 player. Only $199, 78% off the retail price of all the Bob &amp; Ray CDs. Bob &amp; Ray CDs are available on Amazon. *Bonus Tracks: Webley Webster Book Re-enactment (The Status Seekers by Vance Packard); Bob &amp; Ray Honor City (Moosegap, Indiana); Charles The Poet reading 'Clouds;' Mr. Science Explains Gravity; Nothing To Buy (Parody Commercial); Slack Rope Walker; Man Walking On Stilts; Who Wants To Know?; plus six tracks from an NBC Radio Network Christmas show, recorded Dec. 23, 1953, including 'Helen Harkness, Sob Sister,' a Mary Backstayge prequel. We will offer additional bonus tracks regularly as we uncover them. Stay tuned. Bob &amp; Ray recordings are copyrighted by the Radio Foundation, Inc. Scripts copyrighted by Goulding-Elliott-Greybar Productions, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Bob & Ray: The Complete Collection

The Radio Foundation, Inc.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bob Elliott. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Bob Elliott