From the list, here's something about "the human laugh track" and Top Second Banana that you may not have known:
Ed always knew he had a voice destined to be heard by the masses—and he started his training early. In 1938, at age15, he became a bingo caller, but that wasn’t his only odd job over the years. To put himself through college, the Hollywood heavyweight worked as a pitchman for vegetable slicers on the boardwalk of Atlantic City and hawked pots and pans as a door-to-door salesman.Prior to that, he worked as a carnival barker for three years in Mexico, Maine.
http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Entertainment/Celebrities/A-Tribute-TV-Icon-Ed-McMahon.html
From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by ahammel.
In my case I have to add a sixth:
- Who in the Wórld Is this Ed McMahon.................?