MAKING A CAREER OUT OF COMEDY : SIMI WOMAN'S JOKES, SKITS USED BY BIGGEST NAMES IN SHOW BUSINESS.Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer Martha Bolton may not know the secret to happiness, but she'll sure make you laugh. The Arkansas native has a knack for writing jokes, comedy skits and anecdotes - a natural talent that she used to launch her career 20 years ago. Now in her mid-40s, Bolton has spent the past 13 years writing comedy for Bob Hope. Stepping stones
The Stepping Stones are three prominent rocks lying 0.5 miles north of Limitrophe Island, off the southwest coast of Anvers Island. that led Bolton to her ``dream job'' today included stints writing for comedians Phyllis Diller Phyllis Diller (born Phyllis Ada Driver on July 17, 1917) is a Golden Globe-nominated American comedian who is considered one of the pioneers of female stand-up comedy. and Joan Rivers Joan Rivers (born June 8, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, talk show host, businesswoman, and celebrity. She is known for her brash manner and loud, raspy voice with a heavy metropolitan New York accent. . ``I'm so happy to hear the jokes and hear the laughter,'' said Bolton, who doesn't mind that the comedian delivering her punch lines is the one being applauded. ``I'm safer behind the typewriter. If the joke doesn't work, the audience can't throw things at you.'' Bolton moved to the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. with her family when she was 2. The youngest of five children, she started writing at 9. Her first story, scribbled in a black and white composition book, was called ``No Fun Being Young.'' While growing up, she wrote funny poems that she taped to her bedroom walls - ``It was cheaper than wallpaper'' - and eventually ended up with a room covered with funny poetry. She believes she inherited her sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour from her father, an extremely comical, dry-witted man who ``didn't know how funny he was,'' Bolton remembers. She graduated from Reseda High School Reseda High School, established in 1955, is located in the Reseda section of Los Angeles, California, United States. The current principal of Reseda High is Alfredo Tarin. The mascot of Reseda High is the Regent, a lion welding a crown and a scepter. when she was 17 and married a year later to a man she met at church. Bolton planned to go to college in Northridge, but after discovering the cost of tuition, realized she could not afford it. So she kept busy in her early 20s working as a secretary for a local church. In between office duties, she jotted down jokes that she later told about pastors and members before audiences at birthday parties, anniversaries and banquets. ``I would get up and just roast them,'' she recalls. ``I had to keep changing churches.'' Actually, the skits went over well, she says. Bolton was invited back many times to tell jokes at more church parties and get-togethers. Encouraged to take her work to another level, Bolton mailed her material to Phyllis Diller on a whim at age 25. She later received a check in the mail, and was eventually booked to write skits for the comedian. Word of mouth in the business eventually led her to Joan Rivers and later to Bob Hope, a ``great boss'' who has never said an unkind word to her, Bolton said. Her original ideas simply come from observing life. ``The ideas are all out there,'' said Bolton. ``You have to be aware and listen to what is going on in the world and to what people are talking about. I take a different slant on everything and try to find humor in it.'' Bolton has written 23 books, including ``Who Put the Pizza in the VCR VCR: see videocassette recorder. VCR in full videocassette recorder Electromechanical device that records, stores on a videotape cassette, and plays back on a TV set recorded images and sound. ?,'' ``When the Meatloaf Explodes, It's Done'' and ``Let My People Laugh.'' The president of the Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. chapter of the National League of American Pen Women, Bolton has also been published in Reader's Digest Reader's Digest U.S.-based monthly magazine. Founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace, it was first published in 1922 as a digest of articles of topical interest and entertainment value condensed from other periodicals. , and has written for Hallmark and DaySpring Cards. Throughout the years, she has relied on the healing power of laughter - especially in hard times. Shortly after Bolton married her husband, Russ, the couple tried to have a baby. But a miscarriage and stillbirth Stillbirth Definition A stillbirth is defined as the death of a fetus at any time after the twentieth week of pregnancy. Stillbirth is also referred to as intrauterine fetal death (IUFD). put a hold on their plans for a family. ``Things are going to happen that will make you or break you,'' Bolton said. ``You can't change the circumstances, but you can sure have control over your attitude toward it. Laughter and God got us through it. We decided not to let it destroy us.'' Today the couple has three sons, two of whom are adopted. ``Life's going to have its ups and downs ups and downs pl.n. Alternating periods of good and bad fortune or spirits. ups and downs Noun, pl alternating periods of good and bad luck or high and low spirits ,'' Bolton said. ``But if you can keep a sense of humor, it smooths it out a bit.'' THE FACTS Martha Bolton will be the guest speaker at the luncheon meeting of the Simi Valley Women's Club at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Sycamore Drive Community Center, 1692 Sycamore Drive. Lunch, catered by The Cooked Goose, begins at noon followed by the program. Cost is $6. CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (ran in SIMI and SAC only) Martha Bolton expres ses humor in her books and monologues written for comedians Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News Box: THE FACTS (see text) |
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