Victor Borge - Dance of the Comedians (1996)

That's the closest we'll get to a real life Bugs Bunny conducting...

My former father-in-law was a 1st violinist with the Cincinnati Symphony. He said the entire orchestra used to love when Victor came to town. Victor would do a rehearsal with them. Nobody ever missed those days if the could possibly help it because he was just as funny with them in rehearsal as he was later during the performance. He also said Victor did not rehearse the entirety of his act so that the musicians reactions would all be genuine when he did or said something that was ad-lobbed or at least not part of the rehearsal. He wanted the musicians to enjoy the show as much or more than the audience. The last thing he said about Victor is that he was the only guest that everyone in the orchestra gave a true ovation to. Others were applauded out of politeness, while Victor received sustained applause from the musicians that was unmatched.

"How did you become first violin?" "The previous one failed the conductor for the last time"

When you can laugh at a man sorting through music sheets saying nothing that’s pure genius…

I was stage manager when he visited our college campus. Every portion of his evening was tightly scripted, and it was quickly apparent he'd done this act thousands of times before. But I found him to be charming, delightful, and full of a simple fun of performing. His rehearsal with the symphony was playful. And when he broke script--and yes he broke script that night!--he did so to make fun of me and my crew and the contortions we had to do to run our ancient light board. A fun night!

My sympathy is with the wind players....at least while they are laughing, the strings get more vibrato but it’s impossible to play a wind instrument when you’ve got the giggles. He was such a funny talented man and it was a privilege to see him live in concert...well I think it was a concert!!! Haha!!

Being a true professional as a musician is being able to play a complicated piece of music while Victor Borge is clowning around on the podium--and keeping a straight face at the same time!

One of his funniest bits. Of course, they were all funny. And personally, I always hated using that type of music stand and the first time I saw him use it that way I almost fell out of my chair.

That BANG, followed by the violinists moving up a chair.

Victor performed at SDSU not long before he passed. He was 80 I think. He did this routine and a page blew off the stage 5 feet below. He looked at it, looked up and everyone cracked up. He then sprly hopped of the stage, picked up the page and hopped 5 feet up back on stage. At 80! Everyone gasped in disbelief followed by a thunderous roar of applause. I still have an early 78 album with his classic Phonetic Punctuation inherited from my dad. Precious!

Just what we need ....grand innocent laughter , the world needs this kind of humour.

I have to work in 3 hours yet instead of sleeping I have spent the last 3 hours giggling at Victor Borge clips. I may need to reevaluate my decision, but not until this video ends at least!

Victor Borge was as talented a comedian as he was a musician. Once in a life time event.

Mr. Borge was one of the funniest people ever to grace the piano and the stage. Sure do miss his kind of good, clean humor in the 21st century.

That is the best use of those wire stands I’ve ever seen — sticking the music through the wires! They surely can’t hold actual music to play.

Victor Borge got his start as a concert pianist in his native Denmark. During World War II, his country was occupied by Nazi Germany. Borge would interrupt his concerts to tell anti-Nazi jokes. Obviously the Nazis did not appreciate his humor, so he had to flee. My memories of Borge go back to his TV appearances in the early 1960's. His humor was not complicated. It just worked. Does anyone else remember his routine where he read a book out loud, verbalizing the punctuation marks?

He's like the Robin Williams of music! A genius, and from what I understand a wonderful person to work with

He is surprised when the orchestra takes on a life of its own .. Playing without his commands .. And it seems like he is always getting little electric shocks😂😂😂😂😂😂❤

There has never been anyone like Victor Borge. Every antic he did was clever, unexpected, and caught us off guard. A true genius and funnyman from an unlikely background. I am glad there are films and videos of him because it saddens me that he is no longer with us. However, his uniquely ridiculous and highly intellectual humor will live on to surprise many generations to come.

Victor was to classical music what the Harlem Globetrotters are to basketball. Such a singular talent, and a kind of musical comedy we don't see hardly enough of in the world.