CASEY KEY, FLA–Avuncular NBC newsman and TV personality Jack Perkins died here Aug. 19. He was 85.Television viewers across the country remember Perkins from his work on “NBC Nightly News” and “The Today Show,” along with his hosting duties for the “Biography” program on the A&E Network.
But MSTies will always remember Mike Nelson’s hilarious impression of Perkins starting with the host segments in episode 310- FUGITIVE ALIEN and recurring several more times.
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune has a nice tribute.
Thanks to Paul for the heads up.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIZVr9IZPBY
I wonder if the real Jack Perkins ever found Mr. B attractive
I actually saw Jack Perkins onstage, playing (not singing, thankfully) the role of the Narrator/Mysterous Man in the first original Broadway road-tour of “Into the Woods”.
So we know we had a career outside of working on other cable channels that bothered Mike.
I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean and I don’t even care but I suspect some might consider it inappropriate under the circumstances. Which is probably why you said it.
Beloved guy just died, Eric takes a shot at Mike.
Let me be blunt – you’re just such an a-hole Eric. Please delete your account.
G
I gotta say I feel sorry for you. Something about your life has apparently made you so bitter you have to let it intrude on a memorial post.
RIP Jack Perkins.
Does the J stand for Jerk? Wow, a guy died and you jab at Mike?
I never saw the real Jack Perkins. I only know him through Mike’s impression, but I still appreciate his contribution to MST.
It appears our site’s resident crap flinging baboon is at it again. As tempting as it is, please resist the urge to pick the crap up and fling it back. It just makes more of a mess, and I’ve been around this site long enough to know there is no point in trying to engage with this individual when he gets like this. Trust me I’ve tried numerous ways and it was a complete waste of time and effort.
Agreed.
Sampo, for the love of all things holy.. can you please just ban him already? Institute an ignore function? Anything? Every other forum/site I visit has these options for disruptive people. Please give us a break from this complete and total a-hole troll.
G
EricJ is a troll. Ignore him! Telling him to delete his account for the past 5+ years obviously hasn’t worked and Sampo and Erhardt don’t listen to complaints about him, so don’t feed the troll.
RIP, Jack Perkins. Mike’s delightful portrayal was a highlight in Fugitive Alien and in the MST Hour segments.
Wikipedia has some interesting information on Jack Perkins.
He and his wife, Mary Jo, were married for 58 years.
That alone deserves a round of applause.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Perkins_(reporter)
I know from first-hand experience that he LOVED Mike’s impersonation. I talked to him for work a few years back and mentioned MST. He laughed hard and talked about Mike in a very positive way while mentioning that he thought it was a great impression.
He was quite the man – the gregarious type who had a story about everyone he met. Condolences to his family.
I remember watching Biography with my parents way back when. Jack Perkins always seemed like a great guy on-set, and I’ve heard nothing but good about him off-set, too. Glad to hear he also had a sense of humor about himself, especially regarding him liking Mike’s Jack Perkins character. Even read that he took part in the drive to save the show from the first cancellation.
Rest in peace, Mr. Perkins. One of the good ones.
I never hear the word “Coriander” without thinking of Jack Perkins….Try to catch a brief appearance of a young Jack, as part of NBC’s Election Night 1968 coverage on YOU TUBE. R.I.P.
Glad to hear that he was cool with Mike goofing on him. What a class act.
One of Mike’s best – and memorable, to be sure. A fun recurring character/gag.
RIP and godspeed, Jack.
“Then, Joyce Carol Oates will be out to read from her wonderous new work of fiction, her… first novel in well over a month. Then… Peter, Paul, and Mary will be out to… give us a wonderous rendition from one of the songs off their scintillating new album. Then Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy will be out to tell us some poignant stories of the joys and sorrows of being… really, really… horribly old.”
(incidentally, I used to post here as Into the Void some yrs ago)
That’s a nice, succinct write-up in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. I love that he was a poet, and that he hosted a weekly news magazine when he was in his 70s, after “retirement.”
Thanks to MST, I’ll always imagine him having a lively discussion about Gabriel Garcia Marquez with Plant Guy.
And truly, who among us could ask for a finer legacy?
Welcome back!
Gare
Thanks! ..I still swing by periodically to see what’s happening here.
Also, this likely isn’t news to the regulars posting here, but my wife and I discovered a free app called Tubi some time back, and not only do they carry an hefty amount of titles (of all sorts of movies, tv and doc films) but also an impressive collection of MST titles via Shout Factory. Makes for convenient late night viewing if you don’t wanna have to deal with getting outta bed to switch discs!
Thank you so much for your post, as I wondered what he thought of the impression. Perkins always struck me as someone who loved his work, and was generally happy & upbeat. RIP, and condolences to his family and friends.
Hurry up EricJ the SanFran Bridge Suicide gate is almost up.