Bill Dana is the subject of
a documentary film!
“Bill Dana: The Bar Mitzvah of José Jiménez”
is currently in production.
 
 

Background
When Bill Dana had the idea to come back after a 30-year hiatus from the limelight and create the American Comedy Archives no one could predict what would happen. The ensuing three-year project archiving, interviewing and honoring the living legends of comedy produced an amazing archive and a happy byproduct: the friendship between a young filmmaker and an octegenarian icon. Bill and biographer Jenni Matz began the task of recording the memoirs of Bill’s incredible life both on and off the small screen.

Allowed access to the ever-active mind of a comedy legend, Matz videotaped her sessions with Bill Dana and is editing the collected stories of the man who was a head writer for Steve Allen’s Tonight Show, created the “Would You believe” jokes for Don Adams, starred in "The Bill Dana Show" on NBC, hired both Don Knotts & Buck Henry for the Tonight Show, was the unofficial mascot to the Mercury 7 NASA astronauts, performed with Milton Berle at JFK’s innaugural, became an icon with the line “My Name.. José Jiménez”, penned the ever-classic “All in the Family” episode with Sammy Davis, Jr., started his own television network, was rescued by a playboy pinup in Jamaica, and oh, too many juicy stories to tell!

This film is currently in production.

Check back for updates and exerpts!












 
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