Jeff Julian (character)
Jeff Julian (born Julius Jeffrischinsky February 14, 1942) is an American comedian, vaudeville performer, late night host and radio, television, and film actor. Julian is known for his comic timing and his ability to get laughs without any material. He is the host of the notorious late night talk show Up Late with Jeff Julian.
Contents
Biography
Professional Life
Julian was born on February 14, 1942 in Newark, New Jersey. He is the son of Heschel Jeffrischinsky, a Jewish haberdasher and Francisca Lopez, both of whom had emigrated to America from the Congo. His parents nursed him on showbiz, feeding him with the family radio. For breakfast he ate Amos ‘n’ Andy, for lunch The Jack Benny Program, and for supper he dined on Burns & Allen. It is this diet, along with his daily injections of Skittles, gave Julian his signature bony physique. At the age of 7, Julian joined a Vaudeville troupe in which he played harmonica while juggling firearms. It is on this circuit where Julian gained the friendship of the elusive Gummo Marx, Jack Paar, and Thelma Beth Johanson. The following year, Julian was discovered by talent scouts. Jokingly, Julian refers this instance as his deal with Satan. Actually it was Lucifer. He began writing for early television shows including The Milton Berle Show and Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows, all before reaching puberty. His ties to these personalities gained him entrance into the Friar’s Club as well as memberships to countless gentlemen’s clubs. After years as a stand-up comic, Jeff made his breakthrough on the NBN Network Series No, That is Clearly My House! in 1988. After the show's cancellation in 1990, Julian obtained his own late night talk show, christened Up Late with Jeff Julian, and baptized something completely different. Julian then obtained his honorary Doctorate in Banter from Cornell University in 1997, and a Masters in Karate from BWarrior Martial Arts Center on E. 53rd Street in 2002.
Personal Life
Having left his parents' house to persue showbiz as soon as he could crawl, Jeff Julian never truly knew his birth parents. Although they sent him guilt ridden Yom Kippur cards every Tishrei, he would never respond. His lack of proper education may account for a part of this schism; for, Jeff Julian only attended one school, the School of Hard Knocks, from which he was subsequently expelled for knocking too hard.
At the age of 14, Jeff Julian married a tenured stripper by the name Peach Mangosteen. The marriage lasted two years. Her death remains an unsolved mystery.
After years of living the bachelor life, married to his career and a box of illegal cigars, Jeff Julian finally settled down in 2007 with the former wife of his TV sidekick, Sonny Sinclair. People magazine called his recent marriage, "a laster," even after Julian had his new wife and step-daughter change their first and last names.
Television
No, That is Clearly My House!
Jeff Julian made his breakthrough on No, That is Clearly My House on the NBN Network. He played Jose Guatemala, the quirky neighbor with the thick accent.
Up Late with Jeff Julian
The Julian-Oprah Feud
Due to the ongoing court battle with Harpo Productions, details of the feud cannot be publicized.
Movies
Though small, Julian's film career spans many genres. In the eary 1980's after a stint in rehab, Jeff Julian starred in a series of films on the then budding network Cinemax. These films entitled On the Desk, may be referred to by today's standards as softcore pornography. Each episode consisted of Ichabod Nutsplash (Julian) interrogating women on or around his desk. His desk was played by Patti Lapel.
Jeff Julian made a cameo in Gigli as a happy-go-lucky street nomad.
He has also made numerous movie cameos playing himself, the late night talk show host.
