(1919-62), comedian. Kovacs, one of the most original and innovative television comedians of the 1950s, made creative use of new technology and video effects more than a decade before they became standard fare in the 1960s. Brandishing his trademark cigar and wearing horn-rimmed glasses, Kovacs gained admiration for his wide repertoire of zany characterizations and offbeat visual humor. He hosted "The Ernie Kovacs Show" (1955-56), "The Tonight Show" (1956-57), and various quiz and panel shows in the 1960s before his death in an automobile accident.
