B. S. Pully
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
Murray Lerman
Born Date: May 14, 1910
Born Place: Newark, New Jersey
Died Date: January 6, 1972
Died Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: B. S. Pully was best known for his thick, gravelly voice and his rough, gangster-like look. His biggest claim to fame was playing the tough Chicago mobster Big Jule in both the Broadway musical and the 1955 movie version of Guys and Dolls.
Early Life and Name:
The Voice: A growth in his throat gave him a very raspy voice when he was a kid. Schoolmates laughed when he spoke, so he decided to become a comic.
Stage Name: His stage name initials stood for "Bullsh*t". He spent summers performing in the Catskill Mountains with a comedy partner named H. S. Gump (whose initials stood for "Horsesh*t").
Comedy Style:
Blue Humor: Pully was famous for his dirty, adult-only jokes, which people called "blue" comedy.
Venues: He started out in amateur nights, circuses, and burlesque shows. He later became a popular act in nightclubs, especially in Miami Beach and Philadelphia.
Influence: His edgy, rough style paved the way for future famous comedians like Lenny Bruce and Andrew Dice Clay.
Acting Career:
Hollywood: In the mid-1940s, he signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox. He appeared in over 30 movies. He often played short, funny roles like bartenders, tough guys, or vendors. Notable early films included A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945).
Guys and Dolls: In 1950, he landed the role of Big Jule on Broadway and played it over 1,000 times. He brought the same character to Hollywood in the Guys and Dolls Movie alongside stars Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando. Sinatra liked him and helped him get roles in other movies later on.
Born Date: May 14, 1910
Born Place: Newark, New Jersey
Died Date: January 6, 1972
Died Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: B. S. Pully was best known for his thick, gravelly voice and his rough, gangster-like look. His biggest claim to fame was playing the tough Chicago mobster Big Jule in both the Broadway musical and the 1955 movie version of Guys and Dolls.
Early Life and Name:
The Voice: A growth in his throat gave him a very raspy voice when he was a kid. Schoolmates laughed when he spoke, so he decided to become a comic.
Stage Name: His stage name initials stood for "Bullsh*t". He spent summers performing in the Catskill Mountains with a comedy partner named H. S. Gump (whose initials stood for "Horsesh*t").
Comedy Style:
Blue Humor: Pully was famous for his dirty, adult-only jokes, which people called "blue" comedy.
Venues: He started out in amateur nights, circuses, and burlesque shows. He later became a popular act in nightclubs, especially in Miami Beach and Philadelphia.
Influence: His edgy, rough style paved the way for future famous comedians like Lenny Bruce and Andrew Dice Clay.
Acting Career:
Hollywood: In the mid-1940s, he signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox. He appeared in over 30 movies. He often played short, funny roles like bartenders, tough guys, or vendors. Notable early films included A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945).
Guys and Dolls: In 1950, he landed the role of Big Jule on Broadway and played it over 1,000 times. He brought the same character to Hollywood in the Guys and Dolls Movie alongside stars Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando. Sinatra liked him and helped him get roles in other movies later on.