Riff Markowitz
Rifael Ronald "Riff" Markowitz(born 1938) is aCanadian-Americantelevision and theatre producer,[1]most recently the managing director, MC and co-founder ofThe Fabulous Palm Springs Follies,[2]which performed at the historicPlaza Theatrein downtownPalm Springs, Californiauntil 2014.
Biography
[edit]Markowitz was born inNew York Citybut grew up inToronto,Ontario, Canada.[1]
He ran away from home at the age of 15, worked as aclownfor a year, then secured a job as a radio announcer onCJKLinKirkland Lake,Ontario.[1]He later moved into television withCHCH-TVinHamilton,producing several of the station's early forays intotelevision syndication,includingThe Randy Dandy Show,[3]The Hilarious House of Frightenstein,[3]andParty Game.[3]
He was also a television personality, both as the titular Randy Dandy inThe Randy Dandy Showand as announcer "Gardiner Westbound" onParty Game.
He was also a producer onThe Wolfman Jack Show,[4]creator and executive producer of the HBO TV seriesThe Hitchhiker,[1]and a cofounder of the early Canadianpay televisionmovie channelFirst Choice.[1]
He moved to Palm Springs in 1991 intending to retire, but his continuing interest in theatre led to the offer to restore a vaudeville theatre, which became home to The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies.[5]
References
[edit]- ^abcde"One man's unbridled folly: In a 'little jewel box of a theatre,' Torontonian Riff Markowitz has wowed a million-and-a-half visitors with corny jokes and a cancan line-up of knock-out octogenarians."The Globe and Mail,April 18, 1998.
- ^"Long live our lust for lingerie".The Globe and Mail,March 25, 2006.
- ^abc"How a publicity hunting TV mini-tycoon turns shy".Toronto Star,January 8, 1972.
- ^"Wolfman's show slick and flashy but definitely not Canadian".The Globe and Mail,October 6, 1976.
- ^Biller, Steven; Kleinschmidt, Janice (October 2007)."The Influencers".Palm Springs Life.
External links
[edit]- Living people
- 1938 births
- American clowns
- American male television writers
- American television directors
- American theatre directors
- Canadian male television writers
- Canadian television personalities
- Canadian television producers
- Canadian television directors
- Canadian theatre directors
- Canadian clowns
- Screenwriters from California
- Screenwriters from New York City
- Screenwriters from Toronto
- Television producers from California
- Television show creators
- Writers from Palm Springs, California