GOODMAN AISKOWITZ  was born in Kansas City, Missouri on January 15, 1899. His parents were immigrants from Latvia and he later changed his last name to ACE. He went to Northeast and Central high schools. He also went to Kansas City Junior College where he studied Journalism. He got a job as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Journal-Post for $20 a week. He went on to do a daily column where he like to put in jokes. He then took on a second job at radio station KMBC where he read the Sunday comics. He also did a Friday night movie review and gossip program known as, "Ace Goes to the Movies."

 

JANE EPSTEIN (1905-1974) was born in Kansas City, Missouri where she attended Central high school. She was his high school sweetheart and had a keen sense of humor like GOODMAN. They were married in 1922. While doing a 15 minute radio version of his newspaper column on KMBC, those scheduled to come on after him failed to show up. JANE was sitting in the audience. He called her up to help fill the airtime. They joked about a humorous bridge game they had played and other things. People liked it and they had a new show called "Easy Aces".

 

Thjey were offered $500 a week in 1931 to move to Chicago and do a Nationwide radio show for CBS. In 1932, NBC offered them more money and they moved to New York. The show lasted almost 20 years.

 

GOODMAN became one of the highest paid comedy writers writing for stars such as: ABBOTT & COSTELLO, JACK BENNY and ED WYNN. He then went on to write TV comedy for stars such as: MILTON BERLE, SID CAESAR and BOB NEWHART. He was called "America's greatest wit" by FRED ALLEN. He died March 25, 1982.

 

There are several sites on the Internet where you can find out more information about GOODMAN ACE and his wife.

 

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NOTE: I do not know if GOODMAN graduated from Northeast or Central high schools. I cannot find his picture in any of the early "Nor'easters". If anyone knows, please let me know so I can add the information.