This is a very depressing tale. Even more depressing than the others.

After all, it describes a comedian dying young. Imagine, for example, what would have happened if Conan O'Brien had died a few years ago...

Perhaps I have chosen an example that does not elicit sympathy?

All right. On with the saga of Mr. Hornsby.

In the book "Fight for Tonight," which did not get nearly the attention that it deserved, author Ronald L. Smith mentions that when NBC executive Pat Weaver decided to start "The Tonight Show" (to go with "The Today Show") he chose a crazy comic to be the star.
No, not his crazy brother "Doodles" Weaver (who would have been a fun choice, all nepotism aside), but "Creesh" Hornsby. Writes Mr. Smith:

"Hornsby was the "wild and crazy" man of his day, a cross between Steve Martin and Pee-Wee Herman. He had a penchant for put-on humor and odd slapstick stunts.

His antics included magic, piano playing, squirting customers with dry ice and shouting "Creesh!" as he magically pulled brassieres out of women's blouses or cranked up a machine on stage that spewed potato chips.

"His local TV show in California had a kind of Pee-Wee's Playhouse set. There was a lot of thrift-shop garbage strewn around and in moments of hysteria Hornsby would start talking to a large prop grandfather's clock - which would talk back.

"Bob Hope was a fan of the wild comedian, calling him "a bright new talent, a guy who is going to have a big future." NBC signed him up to a five-year contract."

Yes, everything was going well for young Creesh. He laughed at death. He got big laughs when he sang the morbid suicide song "Gloomy Sunday" with a megaphone over his head for a tomb-like echo.

He was 26, moving to New York with his wife and kids, getting ready for his debut as the host of a national late-night show.

The excitement really began to build as Hornsby rehearsed for his big chance.

I quote a headline from Variety:

"Don 'Creesh' Hornsby Dies of Polio Attack On Eve of TV Preem."

It was May 22, 1950.

The premiere of the show was postponed a week, to May 29th. Guest hosts were called in. And eventually Morey Amsterdam, Jerry Lester, Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno...well, you know all that.

Poor Creesh.