Elmo and a Jimmy Durante-ish nose.
An Anything Muppet monster caricatured after Durante croons about noses.
Jimmy Durante (1893–1980) was an American comedian, singer and actor. With his distinctive nose, raspy voice, and fractured New York English, Durante became one of the most popular personalities of vaudeville, radio, Broadway, films and television. His catchphrase, "Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are," was his signature signoff on radio, while "Inka Dinka Doo" was his theme song. As the voice of the narrator for the Rankin/Bass special Frosty the Snowman, new generations are exposed to him every Christmas.
References[]
- On The Jimmy Dean Show, Rowlf's Nephew cannot remember Jimmy Dean's name, calling him Jimmy Stewart, Dizzy Gillespie, and Jimmy Durante, among others.
- Big Bird erroneously refers to neighbor Mrs. Callahan as Mrs. Calabash in Sesame Street Episode 0204.
- Herry Monster's voice is based off Durante's.[1] At the very end of Episode 0846, he gives a Durante-esque "Hotchacha!" Herry's father also talks with a Durante voice.
- On Sesame Street, a Durante-esque monster sings a song about the importance of having a nose. (First: Episode 1517)
- When Oscar the Grouch says goodnight to his pets in Sesame Street Episode 1831, he addresses one of them, "Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, whatever you are."
- The Two-Headed Monster end their phone call in the closing scene of Episode 1863 with, "Good night, Joan, wherever you are!"
- In the Muppet Babies episode "Puss N' Boots N' Babies," Baby Gonzo plays a detective "Trick Spacey." He bills himself as a "private nose" rather than "private eye," pointing out his own large nose. He then breaks out a quick Durante impression remarking, "Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, whoever you are."
- The script for Episode 2721 indicates for Oscar to do a Jimmy Durante-esque "Yeah!" at the end of his scene with Grundgetta.
- In Sesame Street Episode 2799, Forgetful Jones tries to remember the word of "nose." He eventually thinks of various slang terms and does a Durante-esque "a-cha-cha-cha!"
- Flo Bear gives a lecture on the letter I in Sesame Street Episode 2948. Among the "I" words she gives as an example is "Inkydinkydoo."
- In Sesame Street Episode 2971, Oscar is heard saying good night in his sleep to his animals, concluding with, "Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are."
- Durante's name is used in one of "Elmo the Magnificent's" tricks in Sesame Street Episode 3265.
- In Sesame Street Unpaved, it's pointed out that Elmo shares his astrological sign, Aquarius, with Jimmy Durante ("their noses are similar").
- The Lecture Lady lets out an "Inka Dinka Doo" just before TV turns off the Exercise Channel in the Elmo's World episode "Exercise."
- Ming is a Chinese peacock who speaks in a Durante-like voice, including his trademark "hotchachatchacha".
- In the Elmo's World episode "Noses," Elmo interviews a giant nose who speaks like Jimmy Durante and wears a Durante hat.
- After Ernie convinces Bert to try and make him laugh in the "Make 'Em Laugh" sketch, Bert delivers a Durante-esque "ha-cha-cha-cha," but Ernie doesn't find it funny.