Irwin & Fran

Viewers of a certain age might remember “Professor” Irwin Corey, the so-called “Foremost Authority” who regularly appeared on TV talk shows and comedy programs during the 1960s and ‘70s. Corey's gift was doublespeak that sounded like a college lecture, but signified nothing except whatever one might glean between the lines. Wearing a disheveled black robe and cap—as if he were on the faculty at Oxford—Corey would bluster his way through a rambling talk on anything. Although never a superstar comedian, Corey was a familiar presence on the tube and in clubs, and at the peak of his fame he ran for president of the U.S. on a Playboy ticket, receiving 4,000 write-in votes. All of this is backstory for director Jordan Stone's documentary Irwin & Fran, in which lifelong political progressive Corey (now a centenarian) and his chain-smoking wife Fran sit around a kitchen table while Corey holds forth, to his spouse's bemusement. Looking over aging press clippings and telling old stories, Corey is a wily, fun raconteur who occasionally nods off to Fran's gentle rebuke. Viewers also see Corey on daily rounds in New York City, where he sells newspapers at half-price. Sad as this might sound, it turns out that Corey has been raising money for Cuban children this way for 20 years. Corey talks about meeting Fidel Castro, knowing Lenny Bruce, finding himself on the Hollywood Blacklist (he says the Communist party wouldn't have him), and other memorable chapters in his life. Dick Gregory is also on hand to recall Corey's successful efforts in helping African-American comedians get a foothold in mass entertainment. Narrated by Susan Sarandon, this is an entertaining profile of a comic original who is still sharp and witty. Recommended. (T. Keogh)