"Rags" Ragland

John Lee Morgan Beauregard "Rags" Ragland (August 23, 1905 – August 20, 1946) was an American comedian and character actor. Ragland made his show business reputation in burlesque, where he was one of the house comics for the famed Minsky burlesque shows. Minsky striptease star Georgia Sothern remembered him fondly in her 1971 memoir, saying she considered Ragland a close friend and the funniest comedian the Minskys had ever produced. His longtime performing partner Phil Silvers referred to Ragland in his autobiography as "my favorite comic".

Life and career

Ragland was born on August 23, 1905, in Louisville, Kentucky. As a youth, he worked as a truck driver, boxer, and movie projectionist in Kentucky before moving to Los Angeles at the age of 22. There, he found work as a comedian in various burlesque houses, and quickly became known for his wild ad-libs, unpredictable intrusions into other comics' acts, and a "healthy off-stage libido". Eventually he worked his way up to "top banana" at Minsky's, the dominant burlesque house.