Peter Bergman obit

Peter Bergman, Firesign Theatre founder, dies at 72

 

He was not on the list.

Gary “Chicken” Hirsh, who played drums with the Berkeley, California-based Country Joe and the Fish between 1967-69, died Aug. 17, 2021, according to a Facebook tribute page in his honor. The post did not cite a cause of death, but stated that Hirsh died in Ashland, Ore., where he lived for many years. He was 81.

Hirsh played on the first four albums by the band: Electric Music for the Mind and Body (1967), I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die (1967), Together (1968) and Here We Are Again (1969). He also appeared on the group’s 1977 Reunion LP and Live! Fillmore West 1969.

Peter Bergman, founder of the surreal comedy group Firesign Theatre, and the man who coined the term "Love-In," died Friday morning in a Santa Monica hospital. He was 72, and had been suffering from leukemia.

Firesign grew out of a radio show Bergman hosted at KPFK in the late 1960s. The group made two dozen popular comedy records — the most popular of which included “We’re All Bozo’s on This Bus,” and “Don’t Crush that Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers” — and continued performing live into last December.

On his own, Bergman produced a political satire series for KPCC called “True Confessions of the Real World,” which ran in 2002 and 2003.

The episode of "True Confessions of the Real World," and Off-Ramp host John Rabe's conversation with Firesign co-founder Phil Proctor.

He and Proctor witnessed the 1977 Golden Dragon Massacre in San Francisco.

Stage versions of Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers, The Further Adventures of Nick Danger, Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him, and "Temporarily Humboldt County" are published by Broadway Play Publishing Inc.

Actor (19 credits)

 2009 Nova Express

Narrator (voice)

 2002 The Tick (TV Series)

Metcalf

- The Terror (2002) ... Metcalf

 1998 God's Clowns (Short)

Brother Moe

 1996 Pyst (Video Game)

 1996 The Tick (TV Series)

Dennis / Terry / Additional Voices

- Sidekicks Don't Kiss (1996) ... Dennis (voice)

- Grandpa Wore Tights (1996) ... Terry (voice, as Peter Paul Bergman)

- The Tick vs. Reno, Nevada (1996) ... Additional Voices (voice, as Peter Paul Bergman)

 1988 Phantom of the Ritz

Ed Blake

 1987 Almost Partners (TV Movie)

 1986 Eat or Be Eaten (Video short)

Professor Buster DeCooth / Fred Stiffner / Barbarian Customs Agent

 1983 Firesign Theatre Presents 'Hot Shorts' (voice)

 1983 Nick Danger in the Case of the Missing Yolk (Video)

Lt. Bradshaw / Yoey Yolk / Judge Knot

 1982 Bomb Squad (Video Game)

Boris (voice, uncredited)

 1980 Below the Belt (voice, as The Firesign Theater)

 1979 The Day the Earth Got Stoned

The Chief

 1978 Petronella (Short)

Dragon / Youth (voice)

 1977 Cracking Up

Barbara Halters

 1975 Everything You Know Is Wrong (Short)

Ben Franklin / Prof. Bowman / McGog brother / ...

 1972 Martian Space Party (Short) (as The Firesign Theatre)

 1971 Zachariah

Bank Teller (uncredited)

 1969 Love Is a Funny Thing

Le metteur en scène

Hide Hide Writer (13 credits)

 2017 Everything You Know Is Wrong: The Declassified Firesign Theatre (Video)

 2001 Firesign Theatre: Weirdly Cool (TV Special) (written by - as The Firesign Theatre)

 1996 Pyst (Video Game) (creator) / (written by)

 1992 The Future Is Now (TV Movie)

 1987 He's My Girl (story)

 1983 Nick Danger in the Case of the Missing Yolk (Video)

 1979 Americathon (adaptation) / (play)

 1979 The Day the Earth Got Stoned (written by)

 1977 The Starland Vocal Band Show (TV Series) (2 episodes)

- Episode #1.6 (1977)

- Episode #1.1 (1977)

 1977 Cracking Up

 1975 Everything You Know Is Wrong (Short)

 1972 Martian Space Party (Short) (as The Firesign Theatre)

 1971 Zachariah

 

Director (2 credits)

 2017 Everything You Know Is Wrong: The Declassified Firesign Theatre (Video)

 1975 Everything You Know Is Wrong (Short)