Charlie Manna

Who was Charlie Manna?

Charlie Manna was an Italian American standup comedian, active in the 1960s. He was a New York resident, who studied opera for five years before turning to comedy. He first appeared at the Green Mansions resort, in the Adirondacks near the Catskills resort area. He appeared on many theatrical and television variety shows of the era, including the London Palladium, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show, The Steve Allen Show, Jackie Gleason's Stage Show, the Jack Paar Show, and The Garry Moore Show. He performed at local venues like the Radio City Music Hall, the Bon Soir supper club, the Blue Angel, the Copacabana and Montreal's El Morocco. He appeared in theatrical performances, including Michael Stewart's Shoestring '57 and Hermione Gingold's Sticks and Stones.

He was well known for a routine in which an astronaut balks at being launched until someone finds his box of crayons, containing "a green, an orange and two blacks".