A Couple of Comedians

by Don Carpenter

A couple of A novel by Don Carpenter.

Genres: Fiction, Literature

220 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Don Carpenter was an American writer, best known as the author of Hard Rain Falling. He wrote numerous novels, novellas, short stories and screenplays over the course of a 22-year career that took him from a childhood in Berkeley and the Pacific Northwest to the corridors of power and ego in Hollywood. A close observer of human frailty, his writing depicted marginal characters like pool sharks, prisoners and drug dealers, as well as movie moguls and struggling actors. Although lauded by critics and fellow writers alike, Carpenter's novels and stories never reached a mass audience and he supported himself with extensive work for Hollywood. Facing a mounting series of debilitating illnesses, Don Carpenter committed suicide in 1995.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found about Don Carpenter, veteran writer who published in the 60's through the 80's, from the Powell's Books newsletter. Turaround is one his Hollywood books, and I liked it quite a bit. Definitely more boystown than what I usually read (women are objects and pretty fickle at that) but the toughness was refreshing and it's a book that drops LA references so thick that even I could recognize the landmarks. It's an honest (I assume) rumination on how shitty and senseless Hollywood is, but how movies make us hope something. It's a great companion piece to Steve Erickson's Zeroville. I intend to read the other two books in Carpenter's Hollywood trilogy, A Couple of Comedians and The True Life Story of Jody McKeegan.

[Scott Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one made me think of the film Stan and Ollie, but in a much more debauched and vacuous form.

Jim and David are a comedy duo releasing middling films and performing annually in Vegas. Their lives are formless and shallow by this point in their careers and they drift from party to party using women as objects for sex and self worth.

The nature of their lives informs the nature of the book as there is no real plot per se and we float along with David as our narrator. The writing is excellent and holds things together given the loose nature of the book.

It's a far cry from Hard Rain Falling, but looks at the nature of Hollywood in that 60s/70s period. I will be reading the other books in Carpenter's Hollywood Trilogy soon and sure we will see some of the same great writing and cynicism towards the Hollywood system and way of life.

[Prooost Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever wanted to be in show business, you might think twice about it after reading Don Carpenter's Hollywood novel, "A Couple of Comedians." Sure, there's all the sex and drugs and fun, but there's also the gut-wrenching insecurity of the life. In this particular instance, what has become of David Ogilvie's partner in comedy? Sure, Jack Larson has always been a little bit mysterious to everybody, and he's never on time for anything, but this time it's different, and perhaps sinister.

[William Lashner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very naturalistic vision of Hollywood and Vegas in the Sixties. Its structure was a bit complicated and it rambled and the language wasn't stellar, but I liked its attitude and its loose-limbed nature. Like sharing a drink with a cool friend telling good stories.

[dsbau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered Don Carpenter in a list of forgotten writers published in the NY Times (I think it was). It's been a pleasure discovering his books. The storytelling is so natural and economical there isn't a word out of place in the whole book.

A Couple of Comedians is narrated by Dave Ogilvie, the straight man in a comedy duo, in the early 60s, when the counter culture is visible but still hasn't really taken hold. You get the impression that Dave is on borrowed time, partly because of the changing times, but also because his partner, Jim Larson, is cracking up slowly. Show business has provided Dave with enough money, drugs, booze and sex to live a comfortable life. But Jim becomes harder and harder to get to the movie sets and Vegas nightspots that pays for his lifestyle. A couple of times Jim has almost left Dave hanging - a straight man on stage alone is a terrifying prospect.

Most of the book involves Dave and Jim taking a cross country road trip to the set where they're supposed to be making their annual movie. As the film crew waits burning time and money they encounter various predators, winners, losers and lost souls that inhabit the show business world. The relationship between the two comedians is drawn beautifully, it's a portrait of a warm friendship that's being pushed to breaking point, but good matured Dave seems to be happy let things play out and see where they end up.

In the end this is a character study. Not just the people, but the culture in the early 60s and the places - San Francisco, LA and Vegas.

I'm not sure if I'm doing A couple of comedians justice. There's something about the way the story just flows and the characters avoid becoming the cliches that inhabit most books that lifts it up even though it's not really aiming to be great.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting fictional read on a 60’s - 70’s comedy duo and their comedy club days, movie making, Hollywood and personal life escapades. It felt real for the time, i discovered that Don Carpenter wrote two Screenplays Forty-Eight Hour Mile and Payday, also a novel. That’s impressive to think of the possibility he was on set and writing for actors the likes of Darren McGavin or Rip Torn. Early on I would score this novella a four, my interest and excitement dropped in several middle to end spots, also the characters seem overdone or exaggerated, but in the tradition of good writing he leaves a sort of metric for character behavior over many years, a good tool for the reader when a novel spans many years. Carpenter can pack a sentence, usually subtle, he usually moves easily from person to person and place to place while not losing my attention. I’ll be glad read another of the authors works.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

A low-key, relaxed kind of look at Hollywood by way of two stars of bland comedies wandering through parties and meetings and so on. Grows on you as it goes along.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 - I have a soft spot for Carpenter.

[Carlo Hublet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Deuxième essai de lecture d'un roman de Don Carpenter. Et je n'en tenterai pas un troisième. Vulgaire et sans intérêt, cette histoire décousue dans le décor d'un Hollywood pénible

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1979, "A Couple of Comedians" is about a certain era in Hollywood. However, with its numerous universal themes about insecurity, power, lust and self-adoration, one wonders if the book is addressing the 40s', 50s, 60s or 70s.

The story centers around two Martin & Lewis-like comedians, David Oglivie and Jim Larson, whose careers have seen better days but they still hold on to success by making one movie a year. Largely plotless, the book follows them around for a few days while they attend wild, drug-addled parties, dinners, private screenings and other activities. Carpenter does a great job giving them distinct personalities that you'll adore and, at times, abhor. While there is often tension between them - particularly because of Jim's unpredictable behavior - this is a story of love between two men who've grown up and achieved great success together. Overall, an amusing read.

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carpente trabajó varios años en Hollywood, como escritor y productor; de ahí que conozca tan bien el intríngulis de la meca del cine occidental. Y, si a eso le sumamos la calidad de la prosa de este autor, obtenemos una muy deleitable novela.
Mi interés por este autor (de quien disfrute enormemente "Los viernes en Enrico's") no ha hecho más que crecer.

[Guy Salvidge · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I'm being kind, I could describe this as unfocused. It's not particularly well written, the plot goes nowhere and yet I didn't hate it. I hear the second volume of the Hollywood Trilogy is better, so I'll persevere.

[Moisés A secas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mientras que creo que la novela es bastante buena, en ese español simplemente los chistes no saltan de la página, mueren en el renglón. Pésima idea de sexto piso distribuir este libro sin haber intentado reírse con él primero.

[Bill S]

I’m getting started on this one and it’s going very slow. Does it pick up? “Jim this...Jim that...”

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story of a comedy team in Hollywood. It didn't blow me away, but it held my interest and parts were quite good.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funniest thing I’ve ever read. Also the saddest.

[Simulacra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Hollywood novel by Don Carpenter, look forward to the rest of this trilogy after a great start.

[Brendan · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is a seriously fucked up scene involving the first-person narrator. Nothing comes of it, he doesn't reflect on it again... and it seems we're supposed to root for him at least somewhat in general. Hard to appreciate the book after that. Even so, the rest of it is pretty poorly written, no real plot. Pretty garbage overall really, but the first aspect I mentioned should be disqualifying anyway.

[Myles · Rating 2 out of 5]

(3.4/5.0) Kind of like Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy, but less fanciful and more depressing.

[Poland · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Fred]

A modern What Makes Sammy Run. Highly recommended .