May 7, 2023
HOLLYWOOD HILLS
Bill Saluga was a founding member of the Ace Trucking Company comedy troupe. Photo of Bill Saluga and Eric Brenner taken by King Biscuit Flower Hour radio host Bill Minkin during twenty sixteen, at Saluga's Burbank California home. Eric Brenner Reports Breaking News: From the Tribune Chronicle: LOS ANGELES — William Saluga, 85, aka “Ray Jay Johnson,” died Tuesday, March 28, 2023 Born in Youngstown, he was a comedian who appeared on several television shows, including “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Red Foxx” and “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” He was a founding member of The Ace Trucking Company, one of the most innovative comedy troupes of the 1960s and 1970s, which included George Memmoli, Michael Mislove, Bill Saluga, Patti Deutsch and Fred Willard. William was best known for his cigar-smoking, zoot-suit-wearing television character, Raymond J. Johnson Jr. His “You can call me…” shtick was referenced by Bob Dylan in his 1979 hit, “Gotta Serve Somebody.” For more on Eric Brenner:https://www.imdb.me/the-real-eric-bre...