Chris Elliott as Marlon Brando Collection on Letterman, 1987-88

Here's the complete collection of Chris Elliott as Marlon Brando, from July 31, 1987, until January 7, 1988. There were 15 episodes; I added one more clip from November 18 for reasons that will hopefully be apparent. The video quality varies from episode to episode. If better sources turn up, I'll put together an upgraded version.
Comments about the character from Chris:
"Later with Bob Costas," 6/22/89:
Chris: Of that series, [The Guy Under the Seats] was my favorite character. he was the most performance-art-oriented of the stuff I did. But Marlon Brando is still my favorite weird thing.
* * *
"Later with Bob Costas," 12/23/91:
Costas: The one that I thought was really off the board was Marlon Brando.
Elliott: Yeah. I enjoyed doing him probably the most, because it was the easiest to do. The whole concept of Marlon Brando just grew out of me up in the office pretending to be me walking around the office bugging the Production Assistants, screwing up the copying machine, busting the coffee maker and so forth, and it started making people laugh in the office, but it also was really bugging people in the office.
Eventually Adam Resnick (who is co-creator of "Get a Life") and myself found a way to work it onto the show, where Marlon just walked onto Late Night a la Bob Hope and bugged Dave in the same way I was bugging the Production Assistants upstairs.
We sort of concocted the image of Brando that he was kind of nuts, because people hadn't seen him for awhile, and then -- this is funny, because -- like a year later after I stopped doing him, he started to make a comeback and we started seeing him talking to Connie Chung and so forth, and I realized we weren't that far off the mark.
* * *
1. July 31, 1987
2. August 5. 1987
3. August 7, 1987
4. August 13, 1987
5. August 19, 1987
6. August 27, 1987
7. September 17, 1987
8. September 25, 1987
9. October 2, 1987
10. October 9, 1987
11. October 30, 1987
12. November 11, 1987
13. (November 18, 1987)
14. November 25, 1987
15. December 17, 1987
16. January 7, 1988

[@RodLobLaw]

What was great about these bits was that NOBODY was thinking about Brando in the 80's, Marlon had become a recluse and your average everyday dude had not clue about what he looked liked, his mannerisms, his thoughts ect at this time. At least not the general public he hand't made a movie since basically apocalypse now in the late 70's' Somehow Chris Elliot and the Letterman writers nailed it.

[@makinoahcelloduo9008]

Rod I disagree. As a high school student some of my friends and I were huge fans of Apocalypse Now and The Godfather. I went out of my way to watch every Brando movie I could and often did imitations of him from The Wild One, Streetcar, and those two movies.

[@rooseveltbrentwood9654]

makinoah cello duo I couldn’t get thru streetcar, but on the waterfront was great

[@cedricbeard4609]

Marlon Brando was a lot more revered in the late 1980s. His reclusiveness and faded looks had his popularity at a crescendo. Films like The Freshman were hits because Brando’s popularity was more Jordan like back then, his performance in The Godfather was the ultimate come back (critically and commercially).

[@jimwoodman8158]

"I beg you now on my hands and knees to kill me with all your might" Who could come up with a line like that other than Chris Elliott? I'm so grateful that I saw so much of this when it originally aired, never knowing what was going to happen next. Don Geller deserves all praise for these incredible collections.

[@cesarjom]

I never get tired of watching all of Chris Elliot's characters, especially Brando. Chris was pure genius!

[@sheppygawdog1954]

Especially because from 1980 to 1989 Brando had become a recluse. When Brando came on Connie Chung, it became clear how stunningly accurate Chris' portrayal actually was. So much so I thought he was doing a parody of the parody for the first few minutes. I wonder what Chung thought, because she was quite friendly with Letterman. She was a “friend of the show” if not actually a friend of Dave. She asked Connie about Dave and he responded with an infamous ape-like face.

[@lockandloadlikehell]

​@@sheppygawdog1954 WAT

[@donaldsmith7077]

Chris's impression of an idea of what Marlon Brando might be like is delightful. From the outfits to his vernacular way of speech. Funny

[@bobjones7283]

Nothing beats Letterman in the 80's.

[@OhanaFilms]

Yep. He invented everything good about the late night formula that is still copied by literally everyone.

[@christopherramon-reid2000]

I agree. Letterman really bought a lot of unique elements to late night television that no one today can touch.

[@bensondeadfromtheneckup5057]

Bob Jones you nailed it!

[@andyboa8107]

I watch Letterman only due to Elliot. This or Fugitive guy, the clown, guy under stairs etc. Otherwise I find Conan O'Brien funnier, Dick Cavett smarter.

[@forgive7449]

@@andyboa8107 may i be so bold as to disagree with you..... and with that aside. i will leave you

[@karlsimonian1424]

Amazing. When this show was focused on comedy, it was untouchable and unique.

[@cory3518]

40 years later and this is just as hilarious as when I first watched it. Chris Elliott is a comic genius and any time one of his running characters made an appearance was the highlight of the show.

[@bjc12566]

Don, thank you so much for the amazing job on this. Much appreciated.

[@dongiller]

Thanks, Brian!

[@gregorywills2231]

After all these years this still holds up. I'm laughing my ass off.

[@martywhitevan]

Thank you for posting this!....i cut the cable and its the best decision i have made in entertainment

[@markaugustine2839]

This is some of the best late night television ever. Kimmel and Fallon and all the rest look like little school kids next to this genius.

[@mdeodar]

Makes Colbert a little school girl...

[@franklubbock8400]

Kimmel was obsessed with letterman’s show at the time.

[@nigelmarshallkenyonabbott8684]

Colbert was nothing but a tool for anti-Republican jabs, especially when Trump was president. Boring comedy (?) no matter which side of the political aisle it came from

[@46monkeyes]

So well written and smoothly delivered!

[@KanjoosLahookvinhaakvinhookvin]

Dave being fascinated by Chris's banal process and need to explain the characters is the best part of these bits

[@DSH1LL]

Don Giller you are doing the world a great justice with your compilations.

[@adamiusrex]

I love how hard Chris Elliott keeps using the song Alley Cat throughout hos career…not just in this recurring bit, but also in his show Get A Life, where he had a giant stack of 45s of Alley Cat and would occasionally wear one out from playing it too much. I kind of got obsessed with that bit, and i have bought every 45 of that song every time i find one. I probably have 4 or 5 of them.. I dream of having Chris sign at least one of them some day.

[@moxica93]

They also played it in Cabin Boy when he was dancing on the deck...

[@earthlingsf]

i cannot stop watching these clips.... chris Elliot is a genius

[@thegrimyeaper]

I searched for Don Giller and Chris Elliott in hopes that it would cheer me up. Five hours later and I want to start all over again.

[@todd8414]

The greatest character on David letterman!!!

[@scottthomas6937]

wow - what Dave and Chris and that team brought to television... its like Monty Python - its so good you wonder how it ever got on tv in the first place and for sure you will never see its like again.

[@milart12]

Wow, I didn't realize that there were so many appearances as Marlon-Great job !

[@embracethemystery]

I haven't seen these since they aired, but to this day, thanks to Chris/Marlon, I still randomly say 'BANANAS" and shrug at inopportune times

[@rdsnewsguy2476]

Chris was always a genius for never breaking character. The only time I saw him about to break was during a Brando bit in this collection (at 55:00). He recovered within a second.

[@dongiller]

He broke character in strategic places in his Morton Downey, Jr. parody.

[@datacipher]

@@dongillerhe often breaks character for a second which is hilarious eg. “Chris” “it’s marlon Dave.”

[@plissken2156]

8:38 - Was that "Foster Brooks" comment a reference to that infamous Oliver Reed interview where he appeared offended and unstable?

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

You may be correct.

[@alohajoe98]

Yes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3ibap-NgaeYasU

[@tomitstube]

i'm like what the hell, i'll watch a couple... 48 minutes in and i'm committed, the skit kept getting better, the ringo jokes hade me dying, paul trying to act pissed but smiling, 47:44, looks like michael richards. seeing christopher reeve healthy is always sobering.

[@MusicDementia]

I never had any idea how funny Chris Elliott was

[@patreisinger]

yeah same. this basically sets the template for early conan o'brien skits.

[@mikethomas2458]

I’m covered with witty jabs. Get me some witch hazel, get these jabs off me.

[@kailuadude]

The banana dance gets me rolling all the time.

[@jackiewhitehouse1230]

I love this....and weir's impersonation of Garcia is brilliant.

[@Bitshitter]

Also, is it me, or is Elliott's Brando wig getting more and more disheveled with every appearance??

[@scottsteel4230]

It's not you, and it is.

[@OhanaFilms]

It just does not get better than this.

[@jefff.1618]

"I'm not going to take off my shirt, I'm not going to hold your hand, and plus Mickey Rooney is still alive." No idea why I'm dying laughing at that now after having watched this series at least a hundred times.

[@kyilmaz2]

Chris Elliot/ Letterman....the best .....thx Don Giller :)

[@einsteinadonis4544]

holy shit this is brilliant

[@ryansullivan5575]

Don Giller, lemme just piggyback on what Paddy Glennon said - Good stuff,sir. Brings back great memories of sneaking up late to watch Dave at his peak

[@dongiller]

You're very kind, thank you!

[@ryansullivan5575]

You got it, you're welcome!

[@paliaha706]

In the 80s my older half brother saw me laughing at Letterman and he asked me “Do you think that’s funny?” What an idiot 🍎🍊🍌

[@setnsun21]

Chris really nailed the character that Brando had devolved into in the 80s. The lack of a filter was so awkward and funny.

[@mikethomas2458]

May I be so bold as to interrupt your little Late Night with Larry King Live that I was watching in the green room? 😂

[@3.2Carrera]

Dave was at his best when he didn't give a shit and let Chris eat up time.

[@zenbabaloo1931]

Yeah, the show went into the tank on CBS. It stopped being unique.

[@koolaidman52]

Thanks!

[@bababooey8062]

It's funny it seems like every time Chris is on, Dave announces the best guests are coming (on the next show.) Do you think someday we will have access (Netflix?) to all old episodes of Late Night? I'd watch them all!

[@dongiller]

I think it's highly unlikely that'll happen. But I've been wrong many times.

[@sophocles1198]

Great compilation!

[@dongiller]

Thanks!

[@trust5977]

His “I’m paraphrasing now…”line when talking about the Charmin commercial kills me.

[@frankburns8871]

I'm really enjoying the tree on my new smart phone.

[@LouisEmery]

Chris could have gotten a 3-hour show every night and I would have watched it. All his jokes are funny, even the bad ones. 32:40 how come these people are not laughing?

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

Chris was a man of a thousand faces.

[@CelestialWoodway]

Funny thing is when I was younger I had no idea who Marlon Brando was when I was watching these. I thought it was just some character he made up.

[@thenostalgicpodblast]

YES!!!! I also like how Paul chose the Neil Norman version of the John Williams "Superman: The Movie" theme when "Brando" entered the scene.

[@JimSande]

Chris Elliott is hilarious.

[@riproarin1042]

how do you get Ringo to clam up?

[@LRS905]

LOL!

[@nigelfarage4119]

GO BACK TO 3rd GRADE!

[@padraig29]

5.30-6.50 supermarket bit. Leno would later steal this bit from Letterman.

[@MrAitraining]

Leno stole from everyone. Howard Stern too. Whole man on the street bit was Howards for years.

[@yankee2666]

So what?

[@blaskode]

A thousand deaths are not enough for Leno.

[@alevine1951]

These are great.

[@bsmith1164]

We just binge watched Schitts Creek and Chris does this Brando schtick in the first season! I was the only one in the family who laughed though...

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

When Letterman meant comedy.

[@rogerpattube]

“Are you an assassin?” LOLOL

[@DW-nb2zc]

Didn't remember Brando being on Letterman.Cool.You find something new everyday on KZbin

[@johnfulmer4058]

Chris could make me weep with tears.

[@kamuelalee]

Marlon, I mean Chris, is a genius!

[@The.Pickle]

I've only seen Chris Elliott in movies; I didn't know he is a comedian. I think he's pretty good, the more I watched his impersonation, the more of Brando's subtle idiosyncrasies I could see in his impersonation. I love this type of slightly askew, weird comedy, one of my favourite ingenious humans is Crispin Glover; I really enjoyed this, it made me laugh.

[@JMcC64]

"Sent by Ringo. to collect some bananas." comedy gold.

[@theivory1]

This is Gold.

[@timramich]

I don't get the part with Christopher Reeve. Was there some sort of auto detection of the Superman music that made that segment appear in this compilation?

[@dongiller]

Just part of the theme. Not to be overthought.

[@WootTootZoot]

Where is Chris Elliott now days?

[@dongiller]

IMDB.

[@bluesborn]

I'm putting together a collection of your collections which collectively, should make for another entertaining 'collection" of re-branded material that I personally had nothing to do with...as far as I can recollect.

[@ocrun6765]

I never realized Elliott possessed such comedy genius with impersonations. This got recommended to me after I watched him impersonate "ringo" and dirty dancing swasey.

[@imunchienandalusia]

funniest goddamned thing on the internet

[@yankee2666]

Far, far from it.

[@DM-hw4cr]

Banana Dance. He called one of the studio cameras a tree..lol

[@ChicagoDispatcher]

`Paul Schaffer appeared on an episode in Schitt's Creek, which Elliot is on. Nice connection.

[@dongiller]

Shaffer; Paul Shaffer. :)

[@johnpelletier7641]

Dave and Paul and Chris - legend.

[@mauritiusdunfagel9473]

I miss Chris!

[@FlockOfHawks]

Jerry Garcia ? THE Jerry Garcia ??? O M G !!!

[@LarsAndersenFrihed]

"...No cheese to speak of" 😄

[@johnrock2022]

Are those the "Prancing Fluids" at 10:20?

[@dongiller]

Yep.

[@ericdovigi7927]

I got excited for harvey pekar there for a second

[@33Donner77]

Chris' impression of what an off-camera Marlon Brando might be like, or was like?

[@OGRE_HATES_NERDS]

at so many points its like hes not even trying to imitate marlon brando lol

[@scottsteel4230]

Rest In Peace, Superman...Christopher Reeve.

[@mulemule]

I'm stunned (and delighted) that they didn't once bleep "JaKunta!"

[@HS22181]

Variation of fictitious name “Jack Mehoff” used in prank phone calls by middle school age boys in 1960’s calling restaurants and bars asking to page “Jack Mehoff.”

[@Squidbillies1000]

Chris is the best!

[@james5460]

Got to give him credit for not going for the obvious fat caricature. Once in a while he did nail it, "May I be so bold" lol.

[@willk7184]

"A royal jab! I've just been slain by Sir Joke-a-lot". Another classic lol.

[@dbooshay5733]

Nobody makes me laugh more than Chris Elliott. Thank you for this compilation. It is wonderful to re-watch these great memories of my early 30s!

[@jude999]

He and Chris Farley are the only ones who can make me laugh.

[@fosbury68]

"I'm giving your audience a choice. They can laugh - or they can just sit there and just be baffled".

[@mitchellyoung8561]

ROTFLMAO at that. Meta before it was 'a thing'

[@axeman6598]

I couldn't have said it any better.......Stellar.

[@walterdennon4342]

Hey Fosbury. I like your high jump style.

[@kymberlynnethompson9306]

Annoyed is more like it!

[@kamuelalee]

Chris Elliott is Marlon Brando

[@flatonia]

I also love the feigned tension, disdain, and animosity that Paul Schaefer projects as "Marlon" refers to him as Ringo. Comedy gold.

[@dongiller]

Shaffer; Paul Shaffer.

[@philtll]

@Christopher Marlowe shut the fuck up, douchebag

[@shokojimhollingsworth3940]

You can see Paul is having a tough time keeping a straight face, but his job was to look annoyed and insulted by Chris, no matter what character Chris was doing 😂

[@luispin144]

Lol...true...Paul wasn't too amused by Chris ...hilarious

[@maitreyas.4902]

Paul was always awesome.

[@jonhohensee3258]

I could tell by the third appearance - that wasn't the REAL Marlon Brando.

[@bigpeeler]

Good job.

[@robertpryor7225]

Wait, what?!

[@jonhohensee3258]

@@robertpryor7225 - Yep. I know...

[@jonhohensee3258]

@@bigpeeler - thaaaank you

[@gato7908]

What do you mean? 😞

[@KowankoMusic]

"May I be so bold as to interrupt your late-night cavalcade of giggles..."

[@partickthistled594]

Nobody makes me laugh more than Chris Elliott and I have no idea why. I love the "please, whatever you do, don't come to the island" bit. The exchange between Chris and Letterman is priceless. I miss Late Night. There's nothing like it.

[@camilocienfuegos2866]

Elliott as Brando continuously calling poor Paul "Ringo" is the most Brando thing ever.

[@LeeKav]

The cut-away to Paul's deadpan irritated expression kills me every time.

[@MrThermostatic]

@@LeeKav He's trying to portray Brando attempting to be hip to pop culture by calling him Ringo just because he's a musician.

[@partickthistled594]

I get the impression Paul didn't like the bit which makes it even funnier for me.

[@AlbertoVO5]

@@MrThermostaticyeah. We get it.

[@Rockmonanov]

I love how there is over an hour of him doing this character on Letterman. Now that's commitment to a bit.

[@TrewlPatrol]

What are you talking about? What character?

[@devinwatson4594]

The greatest actor to ever live impersonating Marlon Brando

[@jasonsabourin9547]

EXACTLY!

[@giovanna8187]

@Brandon S Mmm ...No.

[@scottsteel4230]

ABSOLUTELY.

[@MkeKen67]

John Travolta has done a pretty good Brando on SNL.

[@misisipimike8020]

Thank you Don. This is a wonderful distraction. Chris Elliott is a genius.

[@voicetube]

Chris Elliott is certainly one of the greatest things to happen to the Letterman show as well as television overall. Hard to explain why he is so enjoyable, exactly, but his brand of quirky humor is just AWESOME!

[@MkeKen67]

Doesn't hurt that Chris Elliott is the son of Bob Elliott of comedy duo Bob & Ray.

[@HolmanHal]

@@MkeKen67 Indeed. Bob Elliott & Ray Goulding were THE best comedy duo ever despite not gaining the wider public exposure they deserved. All the more reason to appreciate their subtle, low-key, hilarious humor on radio, TV and occasionally in-person.

[@meshuggah2]

I watched David Letterman religiously, from his very first show, when he started out in the mornings, through his very last, and one of my very favorite bits that Chris Elliot did was Marlon Brando - esp when he did The Banana Dance!!🤣 Thank you so much for posting this!!

[@lasvegasira]

May I be so bold, I can't believe I just sat through an hour and 15 minutes of that, and I loved it!

[@theseattlegreen1871]

That's bananas!🍌🍌🍌

[@scottsteel4230]

Me too.

[@poetcomic1]

This is surely one of the most audacious impressions ever done on television. Why? Because it was created from pure fantasy since Brando had not DONE any interviews in recent times, crazy or otherwise. What is so hilarious as Chris commented as that a few years later he was in the news again and WAS actually doing some show interviews and Elliott's image wasn't far off!

[@greglarsen1]

Elliot was genius, and Dave recognized it. You can tell Dave was genuinely amused by Chris' comedy. Elliot was also a superb writer for Late night.

[@davidames1746]

Elliot's Dad may have been a genius. Chris Elliot is sporadic funny. And these sequences are not well thought out. And YOU don;t know that Letterman thought this guy ws a genius. He may have put him on in deference to his father, and hoping for the best.

[@wolfcola8797]

This is old are you guys dead yet?

[@guitarista67]

@@davidames1746 Great use of your time arguing about this, dumbass.

[@petesmitt]

@@davidames1746 Chris started with the show as a production assistant in 1982; Chris demonstrated his talent as a writer that got him four Emmy awards, as well as his comedic ability doing skits, while on the show throughout the 80's; nothing to do with his father.

[@PanzerBuyer]

I agree 100%.

[@FranktheTank70]

I gotta be responsible for about 200 views, I pick up something new every time, thanks again Don.

[@Stinky95030]

me too, i live in ca --- so i watch this on most nights! hahahaha i love it

[@Crimsonphilosophy]

Someone on another one of these had the comment that the smaller studio made a difference too in the feel of Letterman in the 80s. That's a good point I never thought of the room being super important to a late night show. I like how intimate this feels, kinda thrown together but not really.

[@Redhotlugnut]

Yeah, but I do remember Dave mentioning in an interview to Brokaw that he wanted to to 'really good shows' when he went to CBS. So for us fans that loved the 80's vibe, the CBS shows that had a lot of applause over the we were left rather disappointed in the change. Thank goodness for Don Giller though.

[@lordofthemound3890]

Yeah, I could never get into the atmosphere of Late Show. The room was too big, the acoustics different, and there was something “off” about Dave being up on a stage above the crowd instead of below them (as was the case at Late Night).

[@Milesco]

@@Redhotlugnut _"the CBS shows that had a lot of applause over the we were left rather disappointed..."_ Did you leave out a word or two?

[@Redhotlugnut]

@@Milesco It made sense when I was typing it. The CBS shows (I went on Nov 15 2004) pushed the (clap and 'hey/yay/) sounds rather than an organic response. It always felt so fake after than. The production was better at CBS but that didn't convert to it being a funnier show. Lol, I'm gonna go back and watch Chris Elliot do his impression of Paul.

[@Milesco]

@@Redhotlugnut Thanks for the clarification. 🙂

[@alans1870]

“How do you get Ringo to clam-up?” LMAO

[@scottsteel4230]

RINGO😆😆😆😆😆

[@crowningchristopher8273]

Why the hell does the banana dance make me laugh so hard every time?

[@johnspence8141]

my god i forgot all about the banana dance. Saw it when it aired and couldn't wait to see it again. Cracked me up too. 40:16 49:25

[@matthewanzelone]

I STILL do the banana dance.

[@smallworld1624]

It always makes me laugh so hard that I forget that trying to reenact for the unfamiliar brings nothing but crickets.

[@theflorgeormix]

The inanity of it all.

[@smallworld1624]

John Spence I have now watched it so many times it’s practically unseemly.

[@tastyjay]

So, Chris is less than 30 years old when he's doing this and Letterman is barely 40. It's impossible and incredible.