Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In for "Laugh-In" was Ian Bernard. He wrote the opening theme music, "Inquisitive Tango", plus the infamous "What's the news across the nation" number. He wrote all the musical "play-ons" that introduced comedy sketches like Lily Tomlin's character, Edith Ann, the little girl who sat in a giant rocking chair, and Arte Johnson's old man character, Tyrone, who always got hit with a purse. He also appeared in many of the cocktail scenes where he directed the band as they stopped and started between jokes. Composer-lyricist Billy Barnes wrote all of the original musical production numbers in the show, and often
Martin S. Vilas Martin S. Vilas Martin S. Vilas (March 1, 1870 – November 19, 1953) was a Vermont lawyer, politician and author who served as President of the Vermont State Senate. Martin Samuel Vilas was born in Colchester, Vermont on March 1, 1870. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1894, studied at Harvard University, and received a master of arts degree from the University of Vermont in 1899. Vilas taught school and served as a school principal while studying law, and attained admission to the bar in 1902. He practiced in Burlington until 1912, when he relocated to the west