Actor and Musician John Davidson | Leaving a Legacy for People to Remember

Today Brett chats with pop culture icon John Davidson. John is best known as a musician, TV Host,  and Broadway star.  He was the host of television's "Hollywood Squares", "That's Incredible" and much more! 

We caught up with him while he was in Mexico for the holidays spending time with his family and grandkids and enjoying life! Enjoy this fun episode. 

Who is John Davidson?  Well....it has been quite a journey as this wholesome all-American boy has grown into a crazy old liberal! 

​It was John’s performances in the major showrooms of Las Vegas that established him as one of America’s foremost entertainers. But you’ve got to see him live! While he still is.

​American audiences probably know him best as the TV host of The Hollywood Squares, and That’s Incredible! , as well as the guest host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (80 evenings, more than any other singer). Remember when he co-starred with Sally field in the TV series The Girl With Something Extra?  (And had a crush on her, by the way.  Now, she never calls.)

​Can you believe it? Over 50 years ago, John graduated with a B.A. from the theater arts department at Denison University and arrived on Broadway where he debuted in Foxy, starring Burt Lahr. later he would star in State Fair and win a Theater Guild Award for playing Curly in the Broadway revival of Oklahoma! He went on to tour the US in multiple Broadway musicals.  (He really can’t remember how many. Really.)

​TV producer Bob Banner molded John's career by casting him in (his TV debut) in The Fantasticks. He then hosted his own daytime talk show, too many beauty pageants, the Tom Jones summer replacement series, as well as The Kraft Summer Music Hall with regulars George Carlin, Flip Wilson, and Richard Pryor.  Banner was also responsible for 13 Columbia Records albums.  So, why not a hit record? Hello?

​He’s also a movie star! Your kids might know him now from videos of his Disney films: The Happiest Millionaire and The One And Only Genuine Original Family Band! He was also in Airport 80, Edward Scissorhands, and The Squeeze, but nobody cares.

​Along the way, John and his wife, Rhonda created the geography card game BORDERLINE USA and he wrote a book and a play, John played The Wizard in the Broadway musical Wicked, and most recently, John has been entertaining America as a traveling troubadour/singer/songwriter/storyteller with his original songs, his jokes, his guitar, and his backup singers, THE INFLATABLES!

So, is he a comedian, an author, an actor, a musician, a TV host, a singer, an entertainer, or just an old friend that you just can’t seem to get rid of?

And here is more about us! 

Have a question? Email us below!

openmicguest@gmail.com

Be sure to follow us on social media for all the latest podcast updates!

Twitter

twitter.com/@brettsopenmic

IG

instagram.com/brettsopenmic

Facebook

Facebook.com/openmicpodcast

www.theopenmicpodcast.show