John Korn a.k.a. Otiz Cannelloni
A Comedian’s Comedians
I am a comedian. At the age of fifty I tried to encourage my young son to use some oil paints he had been given as a present. We painted a few pictures together but he didn’t take to it I, on the other hand was hooked.
I hadn’t painted since I was in junior school and certainly never with oils. I loved the vivid colours and the thick richness of the paint. I kept it up as a hobby for some years and then in 2020 Covid 19 closed all the comedy clubs and completely took my employment away.
Like a lot of us I cleaned the house and did DIY but then I started to concentrate on my paintings. I did a number of images of life in lockdown and then I did a painting of Tommy Cooper. I really liked how it had turned out, and when I posted it on social media a lot of other people like it too.
After that I continued to paint comedians and comic actors that I admired from the past. Now I have a collection of about thirty. Some have been sold, although I have to admit I get really attached, and have some difficulty parting with them.
I will be having an exhibition at Lauderdale House in Highgate from February 17 2022. I can’t wait and look forward to seeing them displayed all together.
This is a selection of ten with a short comment on each it should go without saying that they all made me laugh.
Tommy Cooper The start of my lockdown painting journey. A comedian and magician and a clown. A great personality on stage who could reduce an audience to laughter with a look. He hid his true magical skills behind an incompetent persona. A true favourite. I tried to get his madcap style.
Eric Sykes A great television comic actor. He had excellent timing despite his deafness. He appeared in quite a few films but I remember him best in his own sitcom (Sykes 1960) alongside Hattie Jacques who played his sister. I wanted to portray his serious look.
Yootha Joyce She played a man hungry woman in the sitcom George and Mildred (1976) opposite Bryan Murphy. A classic combination of characters. She wanted to be upwardly mobile while the husband was happy where he was. She had a vulnerable side which I tried to capture.
Marty Feldman Born in England he became a famous international star. Here he is as Igor in ‘Young Frankenstein’ (1974). He started as a writer and went onto appear in countless television shows. Particularly noticeable for his mismatched eyes. Sadly, he died far too young. I obviously had to get that stare correct.
Buster Keaton Star of many silent films. Due to his deadpan expression, he was known as ‘The Great Stone Face’. A very physical clown who did his own stunts, my favourite was where the front of a house falls on him and he goes through the open window. Most famous film – The General (1926). His sad distant look was crucial here.
Zero Mostel American actor, singer and dancer. He was a famous stage star and films star before he was blacklisted in America due to his political beliefs. Post black list he was fantastic in ‘The Producers’ (1967) Produced by Mel Brooks. I wanted to achieve a rather disdainful glare.
Spike Milligan A surreal British comic, actor, author and poet. His madcap humour was the foundation of ‘The Goons’ on the radio with his fellow crazies Peter Sellers. Harry Secombe and Michael Bentine. A true one off. I hoped to capture his challenging look while still retaining his humour.
Oliver Hardy Another star of the Silent era who remained famous for years with his partner Stan Laurel. They made so many films together, a favourite of mine is ‘The Piano’. Stan and Ollie had a wonderful relationship and their childlike bewilderment made them beloved worldwide. I wanted to see his innocent side in this painting.
Goldie Hawn American actress who rose to fame in ‘Rowan and Martin’s Laugh – in.’ (1968) It was a zany fast paced show that started lots of comedy careers. She has had a long movie career, since her break through role in ‘Private Benjamin (1980). It was important for me to capture her combination of beauty and playfulness.
Barbara Windsor She made her name in the Carry-On films where her curvy figure and innocent giggle were an immediate success. She later took on the role of Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders. Not many people know this but my wife used to walk her dog. I aimed to get Barbara’s cheeky elfin expression.
