David Ossman is an American writer and performer, best known as a quarter of The Firesign Theatre, whose collective work includes comedy albums, plays, films, and radio shows. He’s best known for his role as George Leroy (“Porgie”) Tirebiter in Firesign’s LP “Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me The Pliers,” a hero of two mystery novels and hours of broadcasts. His Catherwood the Butler delivers the classic line, “What’s all this Brouhaha?” to Nick Danger. Ossman’s “solo” album, “How Time Flys” was nominated for a Nebula, and his 50th Anniversary version of “The War of The Worlds," produced by his wife, Judith Walcutt, was nominated for a Grammy. He can be seen (as Cornelius, the ant) in Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life."

During the 1980s, Ossman returned to his “original” profession as a radio host, writer, and teacher, with historic broadcasts for NPR and WGBH, along with equally historic all-star-cast radio events like “Empire of the Air," “We Hold These Truths,” and “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," independently created for Walcutt’s Otherworld Media non-profit studio. Returning to Firesign for their 25th Anniversary Tour and subsequent albums and performances, Ossman now edits the group’s work, collected by the Library of Congress, for publication.

In this episode, Mr. Ossman shares with Michael Liben what it was like working with Philip Austin and how his death has affected him.

Links mentioned in this program:

David Ossman on Firesign Theater site: http://www.firesigntheatre.com/media/media.php?member=Ossman

Interesting Firesign Theater stuff that will change your life: http://firesigntheater.com



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