Goodman Ace
USABiography of Goodman Ace
Goodman Aiskowitz, better known as Goodman Ace, was an American humorist and comedian who wrote for radio and television and worked as a journalist. Born on January 15, 1899, in Kansas City, Missouri, Ace grew up dreaming of becoming a writer. He studied journalism at the Kansas City Polytechnic Institute while working as a delivery boy for a department store.
Ace's career in radio began by accident. In 1930, he was asked to fill in for a missing 15-minute radio show. Improvising with his wife Jane, Ace entertained the audience with their witty banter and wordplay. This unexpected success led to the creation of their own comedy show called "Easy Aces," which aired from 1930 to 1945.
Ace went on to write scripts and jokes for other shows, earning a substantial income of $3,000 per week. In 1948, an extended version of "Easy Aces" called "mr. ace and JANE" was released, and with the rise of television, Ace received offers to write for TV channels.
From the mid-1950s, Ace began writing for other performers and was nominated multiple times for an Emmy Award as a leading scriptwriter for American television star Perry Como. He also became a regular columnist for the "Saturday Review."
Ace's wife Jane passed away in November 1974 after a long illness, just a few days before their 50th wedding anniversary. Devoting a column in the "Saturday Review" to her memory, Ace received hundreds of letters from loyal readers and old fans of their radio duo.
Ace outlived Jane by eight years and passed away on March 25, 1982, at the age of 83 in his New York home. He and Jane were laid to rest at a cemetery in their hometown of Kansas City. Remembered for his jokes and anecdotes, Ace's name was immortalized in the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Whether it was a true story or one of Ace's invented jokes, his response to a telegram asking for $10,000 or else the sender would jump off the 14th floor of his building reflects his humorous nature: "Jump off the 7th floor – I'll send you $5,000."
