Official Website of Annie Wood - Comedy Writer and TV/Film Actress

Emmy Magazine Article
by Don Freeman

"One time," says Annie Wood," I worked in a club that was so tough the hat-check girl was named Rocco...I got a dog that's so smart he read a sign that said "Wet Paint" - so he did!...Last night I ordered a whole meal in French. Boy, was the waiter surprised - it was a Chinese restaurant!"

What's going on here? There are, of course, Henny Youngman jokes told in Youngman's familiar, nonsequitur fashion. The jokes are not exactly of recent vintage, and Wood, who is all of twenty-five, is merrily paying homage to the venerable comic known as King of the One-Liners. She does this because she is enchanted by his style of comedy. And she tells the jokes very well, snapping off the lines with Youngman's distinctive rhythm and mischievous attitude.

A green-eyes, platinum blonde, Wood is that conspicuous rarity - a solo female host of a television game show. This particular show, with its contemporary dating-game aspects, is called Bzzz! Produced for syndication by Ralph Edwards-Stu Billett Productions in association with Tribune Entertainment Company, the program was tested on KTLA in Los Angeles early last year. A favorable reception prompted producers to move it into syndication.

Wood, a struggling actress, joins the show initially as a temporary contestant coordinator. But she soon surprised the producers by proposing a number of ideas during production meetings and wowed them with her personality, humor and easy candor. She was soon promoted to a spot on the development team, then Co-producer and then - Host!

"At the first taping, the producers figured I would be a good choice to do the warmup for the studio audience," Wood says. "So, I tried to pack as many friends as possible into the studio. I then went right into a Henny Youngman routine. Those were the only jokes I could remember. I did joke after joke...'A bum stopped me on the street. He said, 'Give me $300 for a cup of coffee.' I said, 'Coffee's only a dollar.' He said, 'Yeah, but I want to drink it in Brazil!' It was different - a girl doing his jokes - but, the audience seemed to like it. So, I kept doing it."

Wood, who was born in Hollywood and grew up in the San Fernando Valley, was introduced to Youngman jokes by her father, a retired lawyer and current playwright.

"Actually, the first joke my father taught me was not Henny Youngman - it was that great Jack Benny line when he's confronted by a robber who says, 'Your money or your life?' Then there's a long, long pause. The robber says it again, 'Your money or your life?!' Then, Jack puts his hand to his chin and looks upwards as if lost in thought, he finally says slowly, "I'm thinking it over." What made it funny was the way it was told, not the words. I learned that comedians like Jack Benny would create a character - you know, Jack's thing was he was cheap, vain, drives an old Maxwell...he never really told a joke - he was the joke. Then there's Henny, who would just tell joke after joke. I love them both."

When Wood was three years old, a family friend asked, "What do you want to be when you grow-up?" "A television star!" Annie piped back.

"I guess they expected me to say I wanted to be a princess or something", she says, "I was only three but I was very specific - television was what I adored. I watched everything. I watched every game show, sitcom, I memorized the dialogue. I knew every theme song. The Brady Bunch, Nanny and the Professor, Taxi, were some of my favorite shows. My folks would say, 'Go out and play.' But watching television was my playground. My parents later became very supportive of my career. I had two idols - Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball. They were never self-conscious about doing wild things. They weren't pre-occupied with their looks either - they went for the joke. They were just funny and made what they did seem so effortless."

Wood has been performing since she was twelve. Acting classes, theatre, and commercial auditions. As an adult she traveled with the Improv-ables comedy troupe. Some of her early TV work include the role of Jessica Hahn in the NBC movie Fall From Grace and a bit on The Rita Rudner Show for HBO.

Wood believes in the show business adage that Youngman followed, "Always leave 'em laughing." So, of course, she offers a parting joke..."I went up to visit the doctor with my sore foot. He said, 'I'll have you walking in an hour.' He did. He stole my car!"

DON FREEMAN is crtic-at-large columnist for the San Diego Union

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