It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, or at least it once was

In 1963 Stanley Kramer created a madcap comedy of a group of people racing to get $350,000.  It had an cast of the greatest comedians of the era, and before.  This was a who's who of funny.  The movie was a commercial success and is considered one of the funniest moves of the 20th century.  The people who were in that movie shaped today's comedians and created the gold standard of humor in America.  Unfortunately few of them are left.  Let's take a moment and look at the greats that were in this picture.

• Edie Adams as Monica Crump - Died Oct 28th, 2008
• Milton Berle as J. Russell Finch - Died Mar 27th, 2002
• Sid Caeser as Melville Crump - Alive, Still active
• Buddy Hackett as Benjy Benjamin - Died June 30th, 2003
• Ethel Merman as Mrs. Marcus - Died Feb 15th, 1984
• Dorothy Provine as Emeline Marcus-Finch - Alive, Retired
• Mickey Rooney as Dingy 'Ding' Bell - Alive, Still active
• Dick Shawn as Sylvester Marcus - Died April 17th, 1987
• Phil Silvers as Otto Meyer - Died Nov 1st, 1985
• Terry-Thomas as Lt. Col. J. Algernon Hawthorne - Died Jan 8th, 1990
• Spencer Tracy as Captain C. G. Culpeper- Died June 10th, 1967
• Jonathan Winters as Lennie Pike - Alive, still active
• Eddie Anderson as Cab Driver - Died Feb 28th, 1977
• William Demarest as Santa Rosita's chief of police - Died Dec 28th, 1983
• Jimmy Durante as "Smiler" Grogan - Died Jan 29th, 1980
• Peter Falk as Cab Driver - Alive, Still active
• Paul Ford as Col. Wilberforce - Died April 12th, 1976

The list of cameos is even larger with some of the greatest stars such as The Three Stooges, and Stan Freberg. 

All I am asking is that you look at the people who have influenced comedy over the years and realize how many have moved on.  Virtually the entire Vaudeville generation is gone.  Now we see another generation fading.  Do not forget their impact and lets all hope they keep going.  They leave a lasting mark on this world that makes people smile, which is something that we all need.  It won't be long until they have all moved on and we will be the generation that is on it's way out.