Cork Proctor would occasionally make a comment only a veteran Las Vegas comedian could relate to. Such as, “I’m working for the door, halfway to Kingman.” That meant Proctor was taking the ticket sales, with no advance guarantee, for a show in 2011 at Railroad Pass.
The landmark hotel-casino is about 25 miles southeast of the Strip on I-11, on the way to Kingman, but not actually halfway.” “It’s 11 bucks, I think, after fees,” Proctor said at the time. “It’s nothing.
” The edgy and fast-talking comic, whose stage career spanned more than a half-century, died Thursday. He was 91. Proctor’s ex-wife and writing collaborator, Carolyn V.
Hamilton, announced Proctor’s passing Friday on Facebook. Proctor and Hamilton had moved to Cuenca, Ecuador, about five years ago. His former housemate in Las Vegas, Norm Johnson, had spoken to Proctor about a month ago.
“Cork was always in good shape and he loved to go for walks,” Johnson said. “But the last time I talked to him, he said he was not healthy enough to go on his walks. I knew then he was not in good health.
He was such a great man, a great roommate, as funny off the stage as he was on it.” “Cork was a great guy, a great friend for a long, long time, and a really funny individual,” his contemporary Pete Barbutti said Friday afternoon. “He didn’t really have material, but got laughs through his delivery.
He had really great timing, and if you ever wanted to ask Cork how he was doing, you better h.
