Robert Orben

Robert Orben (March 4, 1927 – February 2, 2023) was an American professional comedy writer and magician known for his prolific contributions to humor, including authoring dozens of books on comedy and gags, publishing a long-running newsletter of one-liners, and providing material for major television entertainers and a U.S. president. ^[1] His work helped shape comedic timing and content in mid-20th-century entertainment and political speechwriting. ^[2] Orben began his career in magic as a young man, authoring trick books and performing, before transitioning to comedy writing in the 1940s and 1950s. ^[1] He supplied jokes and routines for prominent performers including Jack Paar on The Jack Paar Program and Red Skelton on his television series. ^[2] From 1958 onward, he edited and published Orben's Current Comedy, a newsletter featuring timely one-liners and monologues used by comedians, speakers, and entertainers. ^[2] In the 1970s, Orben served as a speechwriter and humor consultant in the White House under President Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1977, crafting jokes and light-hearted remarks for speeches and public appearances. ^[3] He later continued writing books on comedy techniques and collections of humor, establishing himself as a leading authority on gag writing and professional humor. ^[4] Orben divided much of his professional life between New York and Hollywood, where he was recognized for his work in television and film comedy. ^[4]

Early life

Birth and family background

Robert Orben was born on March 4, 1927, in the Bronx, New York City, New York, to Walter and Marie Orben; his father was in the hardware business. ^[1] He passed away on February 2, 2023, at the age of 95 in Alexandria, Virginia. ^[1] His death was confirmed by his great-niece, Yvette Chevallier.

Introduction to magic

Robert Orben developed an interest in magic during his youth. He was smitten by the art at an early age, performing his first act at age 12 alongside his brother Walter as a mentalist duo in the Catskill Mountains. ^[1] At age 18, Orben took his first professional role in magic as a demonstrator at Stuart Robson's Conjurer's Shop in New York City. ^[5] This position, held circa 1945-1946 for approximately one year, involved demonstrating tricks to customers at the shop located at 130 West 42nd Street, Manhattan. ^{[3] [6]} This early hands-on experience in a dedicated magic retail environment marked Orben's entry into the professional magic world and helped lay the groundwork for his prominence in the magic community during the 1950s. ^[7]

Magic career

Early professional roles

Robert Orben transitioned into professional roles in magic following his early experience as a demonstrator in Stuart Robson's magic shop in New York City around 1945-1946. ^[3] He performed as a professional magician and established himself prominently within the American magic community throughout the 1950s. ^[7] In the early 1950s, Orben teamed up with prominent magicians Channing Pollock and Ricki Dunn in collaborative efforts that further solidified his reputation among fellow performers and enthusiasts in the magic world. ^[8] This period marked his active engagement and standing in the magic community prior to later career shifts. ^[7]

Publications for magicians

Robert Orben launched his writing career in the mid-1940s by self-publishing a series of patter books and pamphlets specifically for magicians, offering comedic material, one-liners, and routines to help performers infuse humor into their acts. ^[2] These early works targeted the magic community, where Orben drew from his own experience demonstrating tricks in New York shops to create practical, ready-to-use content sold primarily through magic and novelty outlets. ^[9] His first publication, The Encyclopedia of Patter (1946), compiled choice comedy material arranged into complete routines for convenient use by magicians and other entertainers. ^{[2] [10]} This was followed by Patter Parade (1947), a collection of full comedy routines designed for magicians, ventriloquists, and masters of ceremonies. ^[11] In 1948, Orben released Magicdotes, a book of humorous anecdotes and stories about magic, magicians, and mentalists. ^{[2] [12]} Orben remained prolific into the early 1950s, producing additional titles such as Professional Patter (1950), which provided wit and patter suited to professional comedians and conjurors, and Patter for Standard Tricks (1950), focused on material for common magic effects. ^{[13] [14]} He authored several dozen gag, joke, and patter pamphlets during this period, many sold in magic shops and contributing to his prominence among magicians in the 1950s. ^[9] Later examples include works like Flip-Lines (1952) and Bits, Boffs and Banter (1954), which offered one-liners, ad-libs, and banter adaptable to performance settings. ^[15]

Comedy writing career

Orben's Current Comedy newsletter

Robert Orben launched his subscription newsletter Orben's Current Comedy in November 1958, with Volume I covering issues from November 1958 through October 1959. ^{[2] [7]} The periodical was a topical humor service that supplied one-liners, jokes, and short comedic material focused on current events, prominent public figures in politics and entertainment, and ongoing cultural trends. ^{[2] [16]} Published initially on a monthly basis and later bi-monthly, it functioned as a practical resource for timely, usable humor. ^[16] Orben edited and produced the newsletter himself through his company Orben Publications (later associated with The Comedy Center, Inc.), effectively operating as a one-man gag factory that generated and distributed material widely. ^{[1] [7]} Subscribers, including comedians, emcees, disc jockeys, public speakers, and politicians, relied on it for fresh topical gags to incorporate into performances, broadcasts, and speeches. ^{[1] [16]} This venture marked a key shift in Orben's career from his earlier focus on magic-related publications to full-time comedy writing and material provision. ^[2] The newsletter ran from 1958 until 1989, with a hiatus between 1968 and 1971, and provided the source material for many of Orben's subsequent published collections of jokes and one-liners. ^[2]

Television and entertainment contributions

Robert Orben made notable contributions to television comedy and entertainment as a writer of monologues and routines for prominent performers during the 1960s and beyond. He served as a comedy writer for The Red Skelton Hour from 1964 to 1970, supplying the star with jokes, sketches, and monologues that helped sustain the variety show's popularity during its network run. ^{[2] [16]} Orben also provided comedy material and jokes to other entertainers, including Dick Gregory for his stand-up and television appearances (and editing Gregory's 1962 book From the Back of the Bus), and Jack Paar for his television program The Jack Paar Program. ^{[2] [1]} His work for these performers often drew from the timely, one-liner style featured in his Current Comedy newsletter, which many television personalities referenced for fresh material. While his television credits are most prominently associated with The Red Skelton Hour, his influence extended to other variety and talk show formats through supplied gags and routines for comedians and hosts seeking reliable humor.

Political speechwriting

Initial involvement with Gerald Ford

Robert Orben's initial involvement with Gerald Ford began in 1968, when Ford, then serving as House Minority Leader, needed humorous material to strengthen a speech at the annual Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, an event where journalists satirized political figures.^[1] Ford sought to compete in wit against Vice President Hubert Humphrey, the other featured speaker, who was known for effective use of humor.^[1] Orben, at the time a writer for The Red Skelton Show, was recommended to Ford through George Murphy, a former senator and actor who knew Skelton.^[1] Orben listened to recordings of Ford's delivery style and prepared several pointed jokes tailored to the occasion.^[1] The resulting speech was a notable success, with Ford surprising attendees by outshining Humphrey and becoming the evening's highlight.^[17] One effective line Orben crafted had Ford remarking that, on his drive home to Alexandria, Virginia, passing 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he imagined a voice saying, "If you lived here, you’d be home now."^[1] Ford recognized the communicative power of humor through this experience and continued to draw on Orben's contributions in the years that followed.^[17] In 1974, after Ford had become Vice President, Orben was hired as a consultant to Vice President Gerald Ford, focusing on providing witty content to improve the humor in Ford's speeches.^[7][2]

White House speechwriter role

Robert Orben served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of the White House speechwriting office under President Gerald R. Ford from 1974 to 1977. ^{[18] [17]} He ran the speechwriting unit, succeeding Paul Theis as head of the operation. ^[19] In early 1976, he was appointed director of the White House speechwriting staff, a role he held through the end of the Ford administration. ^{[20] [21]} Orben specialized in supplying humor and one-liners for presidential speeches, focusing on adding levity to Ford's public image during a challenging period. ^[1] He provided jokes directly to the president and coached him on delivery to enhance their effectiveness. ^[1] His contributions aimed to bring wit and lightness to Ford's addresses, helping to soften the tone amid political difficulties. ^[17] Following the end of the Ford presidency in 1977, Orben continued serving as a humor consultant to the former president. ^[1]

Published works

Books on magic and patter

Robert Orben established himself as a prolific author in the magic community through a series of self-published booklets that supplied comedic patter specifically designed for magicians' performances.^[3] These early works focused on humor and dialogue that could be integrated into magic routines, helping performers enhance their acts with witty commentary.^[2] His first major publication in this area was The Encyclopedia of Patter in 1946, a compilation of choice comedy material arranged in complete routines for convenient use by magicians.^[10] The book was self-published in New York and proved influential among magicians seeking ready-to-use humorous scripts.^[22] Orben followed with Magicdotes in 1948, a collection of anecdotes and stories tailored for magical presentations.^[2] In 1950, he released Professional Patter, another targeted volume offering sophisticated dialogue suited to professional magic acts.^[3] These pamphlets, along with related self-published materials sold primarily through magic shops, reflected Orben's early focus on blending comedy with illusion during the 1940s and early 1950s.^[3] They remain notable as foundational contributions to magic literature, with some later compiled into larger collections.^[23]

Books on comedy and humor

Robert Orben authored numerous books on comedy and humor, many of which were compilations of one-liners, topical gags, and jokes originally developed for his newsletter Orben's Current Comedy. These works focused on practical material for public speakers, toastmasters, entertainers, and anyone seeking quick, usable humor for speeches, presentations, or social occasions. ^[4] Among his prominent titles is the Joke-Teller's Handbook, a collection of 1,999 jokes categorized by topic and occasion to facilitate easy selection and use. First published around 1970 with later editions from Wilshire Book Company, it provided a straightforward resource for joke-telling in various settings. ^{[24] [25]} The Speaker's Handbook of Humor offered guidance on matching humor to a speaker's style and personality while delivering a wide array of jokes and humorous lines tailored for public speaking. Published by Merriam-Webster in 2000, the book emphasized step-by-step advice for incorporating wit into speeches and presentations effectively. ^{[26] [27]} Orben also produced 2100 Laughs for All Occasions, an alphabetically arranged anthology of short, sharp, topical one-liners covering a broad range of subjects for quick reference and application in diverse contexts. Released in 1983 by Doubleday, the book highlighted contemporary humor suitable for reading, telling, or laughing at various events. ^{[28] [29]} Similarly, 2000 New Laughs for Speakers (also known as The Ad-Libber's Handbook) collected gags and laughs specifically designed to help speakers add spontaneous or prepared humor to their remarks. Published in 1978, it targeted the needs of those addressing audiences professionally or casually. ^{[30] [31]} These publications, among others, collectively sold more than 500,000 copies and underscored Orben's reputation as a leading source of structured, audience-friendly comedic material drawn from decades of professional comedy writing. ^[4]

Later years and death

Post-White House activities

After leaving the White House in 1977, Robert Orben continued his career as a consultant, speechwriter, and advisor on incorporating humor into public speaking, serving executives and corporations from the 1970s through the 1990s. ^[2] He built on his presidential experience by providing specialized material for corporate events, including contributions to IBM initiatives from 1977 to 1986. ^[2] Orben also assisted former President Gerald Ford with speeches and related matters from 1979 onward. ^[2] He sustained a prolific output of published works on humor for speakers, releasing titles such as 2500 Jokes to Start 'Em Laughing in 1979, 2100 Laughs for All Occasions in 1983, 2400 Jokes to Brighten Your Speeches in 1984, 2000 Sure-Fire Jokes for Speakers in 1986, Speaker's Handbook of Humor in 2000, and The Speechwriter's Handbook of Humor in 2007. ^[2] His long-running topical humor service Orben’s Current Comedy continued publication until 1989. ^[2] From 1994 to 2009, Orben contributed the column "Bob Orben’s Current Comedy for Speakers" to American Speaker magazine, supplying fresh one-liners and material tailored for public speakers. ^[2] He maintained active gag-writing and topical humor submissions to columnists and publications into the 1990s and beyond, with speeches and writings on humor extending as late as 2013. ^[2]

Death and legacy

Robert Orben died on February 2, 2023, at a nursing home in Alexandria, Virginia, at the age of 95.^[1] His death was confirmed by his great-niece, Yvette Chevallier.^[1] Orben left a lasting legacy as a prolific comedy writer and gag man who produced tens of thousands of one-liners, influencing generations of entertainers and politicians through his gags, newsletter, and books.^[1] He authored numerous joke books, published the subscription newsletter Current Comedy to supply fresh material to comedians, disc jockeys, and political figures, and wrote a “My Favorite Jokes” column for Parade magazine.^[1] His material supported major performers such as Dick Gregory, Jack Paar, and Red Skelton during the 1960s, bridging stand-up comedy, television, and print humor.^[1] Orben's contributions extended into politics, where he served as a White House speechwriter for President Gerald Ford starting in 1974, providing humor to help navigate the post-Watergate era and restore public confidence in government.^{[1] [20]} He had earlier crafted successful comedic remarks for Ford in 1968, including lines that made Ford a hit at the Gridiron Club dinner.^[1] Orben reflected on his broader influence in 1982, noting that alongside television monologues and political cartoons, his work helped define the nation's hot topics.^[1] He is survived by family members, including his great-niece Yvette Chevallier.^[1]