Strip comedian, impersonator Caesar dies

When Jimmy Caesar was 7, he would hold radio shows in his living room. He would play the part of the talk-show host as well as the celebrities that he'd interview.

"He would do the stars until he had everyone of them down pat," said his sister, Ronnie Webdale. "That's how he got started on his impersonations."

Caesar's impersonations led him across the United States and back, working clubs and showrooms while opening for some of the best in the industry.

Born Cae- sar Pasquale Tronolone in Buffalo, N.Y., the comedian, impersonator and singer opened for names such as Milton Berle, Danny Thomas, Sarah Vaughn, Norm Crosby and Bob Hope. He died Oct. 2 at age 63.

Caesar did impersonations of everyone, his wife Val Caesar said. Stan Laurel, Boris Karloff, John Wayne and Martin & Louis were just a few on a long list of his comedic repertoire.

On occasion, the Las Vegas resident opened for Debbie Reynolds, who was considered a dear friend. It was just a few years ago when Caesar was master of ceremonies for Jazz and Jokes on Friday and Saturday nights at the former Debbie Reynolds hotel-casino.

"There isn't anybody that Jimmy didn't know," his wife said.

The son of a grocery store owner, Caesar was one of 17 children. The young comic was destined to be an entertainer, his sister said.

"He was always entertaining everybody since he was a child. We had all kinds of backyard shows. He ran the whole show. He had us all doing something ... but he wrote the shows."

And when he was a sophomore in high school and left to go on the road, his family was not surprised.

"We knew he was gonna go," his sister said. "Everybody was trying to get him. He could sing, do impersonations and comedy. He was exceptionally talented."

He was performing regularly at two clubs in Buffalo when he was 14. Shortly after, he performed at the Palace in New York. "If you made the Palace, you made it," Val Caesar said.

He was 16 years old when he made his first appearance at the Bingo Club in Las Vegas. He would later play other Strip hotel-casinos, including the MGM Grand, the Sahara and the Dunes.

He later received his GED while in the Army where he also performed in the 1959 Rolling Along World Tour.

Caesar's television performances included guest appearances on the original Tonight Show with Steve Allen, the Keane Brothers CBS summer series and the Comedy Shop, hosted by Norm Crosby.

Caesar is survived by his wife; three daughters, Adelle Gale, Cristie Madron and Darlene White; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; five sisters and three brothers.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

To those who watched him, he was a vibrant performer. To those who knew him, he was a beautiful person, his wife said. And he kept his sense of humor all the way to the end.

"When friends first heard that he was sick with cancer, they'd tell him to get a second opinion. He'd say, 'I did, they said I'm ugly too.'

"Everybody will think about him and smile."

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