Ernie Kovacs' "Nairobi Trio" Timpani Mallets....

Description

Ernie Kovacs' "Nairobi Trio" Timpani Mallets. It's one of the most bizarre and oddly hilarious comedy acts in the annals of TV history. There are three "gorillas," forming the "Nairobi Trio," sporting derby hats and long coats as they groove to the strains of "Solfeggio." The middle "ape" smokes a cigar and conducts with a banana, the stage left simian thumps on a piano, and the stage right beast brandishes timpani mallets. As the trio performs their weird, robotic concert, the timpani player regularly and mischievously delivers a 'ba-da-BUM" bongo riff on the center simian's head. However, revenge is sweet at the end of "Solfeggio" as the center ape climactically smashes a vase over the timpani player's skull.
Well, Ernie Kovacs was the center Nairobi member, Edie Adams frequently served as the hirsute pianist, and such Kovacs cronies as Frank Sinatra and Jack Lemmon "went ape" as the tormenting timpani player as Kovacs and the gang performed this legendary skit. This lot features no less than those formidable timpani mallets, 19" long with white rubber heads on white painted sticks. It's touching to realize that Edie Adams saved these props, first employed by Kovacs over half-a-century ago, when he was indeed running amok and pounding his chest in the very wild jungles of early TV. True comedy history, in Very Good condition - and ready for use! From The Ernie Kovacs/Edie Adams Estate Archive.

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