Ronnie Schell earned the nickname ''America's Slowest Rising Comedian''

"I have trouble not finding something funny in everything," said Schell.

January 21, 2025, 1:30PM By MeTV Staff

Everett Collection

It's not easy being number two, and perhaps no one understood that better than Ronnie Schell. As an actor and comedian, Schell certainly knows his way around a set, having performed in both film and television. However, the actor often found himself playing second fiddle in shows like Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. There, Schell played Duke Slater, Gomer's street-wise pal.

During his time in the industry, Schell had earned himself the nickname "America's Slowest Rising Comedian."

"I call it self-deprecation with a smile," said Schell during an interview with the Gannett News Service. "Thus my title has been 'America's Slowest Rising Comedian.'"

At times, it seemed that Schell took the nickname on the chin. In addition to his work on screen, the actor also performed at nightclubs to keep his finger on the pulse of what audiences found funniest.

"I go to the Midwest once a year," said Schell. "Basically, the Midwest is our sounding board, the heart of the Neilsen country. I try out my humor there and I get a feeling of what's going on."

Above all else, Schell remained a student of comedy. "I have trouble not finding something funny in everything," said Schell. "At the most serious time, I think of something funny. Most comedians are like that."

Luckily, Schell was given his dues and received a starring role in the television series, Good Morning World, on CBS.

Looking back on his career, Schell was honest about the nickname during a later interview with the Copley News Service.

"I used to call myself America's Slowest Rising Comedian,' said Schell. "Now that I'm co-starring in a series, I figure I'm America's fastest slowest rising comedian. For years I was always working on a bill with unknowns who became famous - Bob Newhart, the Kingston Trio, Al Hirt, Phyllis Diller, and the Smothers Brothers. It's enough to give a sensitive San Franciscan a complex and it did."