Shecky Greene

It is a quiet afternoon at Hollywood Park. Unlike days past, there is plenty of peace and quiet to ponder your bets, which is OK with Sheldon Greenfield, also known as Shecky Greene. The comedian who once commanded six-figure weekly salaries is at home here. Actually, he might be more at home here than he is at home. "Never took a job if there wasn't a track in the town," Greene says. "Probably ruined my career. First question I asked when we were doing the deal: Got a track?"

It is a quiet afternoon at Hollywood Park. Unlike days past, there is plenty of peace and quiet to ponder your bets, which is OK with Sheldon Greenfield, also known as Shecky Greene. The comedian who once commanded six-figure weekly salaries is at home here. Actually, he might be more at home here than he is at home. "Never took a job if there wasn't a track in the town," Greene says. "Probably ruined my career. First question I asked when we were doing the deal: Got a track?"

Because he spent most of his professional life playing clubs, and because the name Shecky fits right in with all those generic Jackies and Joeys who started out in the Borscht Belt before they went on to careers in movies and television, Shecky Greene tends to get lumped in with the band of postwar vacation resort tummlers that history and a new generation have shunted aside. His Vegas association tends to date him too, now that the city is metamorphosing into a theme park.

His wife, Marie, is still emptying boxes from their move to Palm Springs over the summer--they sold their big home in Hancock Park. Shecky Greene, who didn't lift a hand when he was riding high as a nightclub comic, is helping her with the heavy ones until the heat gets to him and he throws up. "You've become so nice," Marie says. Wearing shorts and a "Shecky superhero" T-shirt, Greene slouches into a chair in the den of the expansive condo. His brown hair, graying, flops over his forehead.

Zabaleta outfinished Zany Tactics and 9-10 favorite Bedside Promise Wednesday to win the $78,975 Potrero Grande Handicap before a crowd of 19,369 at Santa Anita. Zabaleta, ridden by Laffit Pincay and carrying 117 pounds, crossed the finish line a head in front of Zany Tactics and paid $8.40 and $4.40. Winning time for the 6 1/2-furlong race was 1:15. The victory was the fourth in nine career starts for Zabaleta, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Shecky Greene.

His wife, Marie, is still emptying boxes from their move to Palm Springs over the summer--they sold their big home in Hancock Park. Shecky Greene, who didn't lift a hand when he was riding high as a nightclub comic, is helping her with the heavy ones until the heat gets to him and he throws up. "You've become so nice," Marie says. Wearing shorts and a "Shecky superhero" T-shirt, Greene slouches into a chair in the den of the expansive condo. His brown hair, graying, flops over his forehead.

Regarding "It's Not Easy Being Greene," Oct. 16: Lawrence Christon's article on Shecky Greene was outstanding--informative, funny, sad, compelling, a rare moving, well-written story. It should be printed in medical journals. I hope that Greene will be free from his demons and that his genius will thrive and prosper. Thanks to Dr. Ronald Gershman and his expertise. Mental illness is a dreadful disease. Lucky that Greene found him! Thanks to The Times for publishing and giving proper space to a proper story.

Pete Rose, Mike Tyson, Oprah Winfrey--you're just chopped liver now. Stage Deli patrons, saying the three are among 10 famous people who no longer cut the mustard, have voted their sandwiches off the eatery's menu. "While the results were a dream come true for some, they were a nightmare for others," Stage co-owner Paul Zolenga said Tuesday. Comedians Shecky Greene and Nipsey Russell got the boot; the late Yankees Manager Billy Martin, once No. 1 in pinstripes and No.

Through the veil of eloquence of Lawrence Christon's critique of "Roseanne" was glimpsed the comedy critic's now-familiar inherent dislike of all things comedic and his refusal to participate in the comedy community ("Does Roseanne Rise Above It All?" Calendar, Dec. 11). In a time when there is an unprecedented number of stand-up comedians (approx. 3,000) working in America, it seems ironic that the Los Angeles Times chooses to keep a person on the comedy beat whose tastes run to Mort Sahl and Shecky Greene, period.

Because he spent most of his professional life playing clubs, and because the name Shecky fits right in with all those generic Jackies and Joeys who started out in the Borscht Belt before they went on to careers in movies and television, Shecky Greene tends to get lumped in with the band of postwar vacation resort tummlers that history and a new generation have shunted aside. His Vegas association tends to date him too, now that the city is metamorphosing into a theme park.

Zabaleta outfinished Zany Tactics and 9-10 favorite Bedside Promise Wednesday to win the $78,975 Potrero Grande Handicap before a crowd of 19,369 at Santa Anita. Zabaleta, ridden by Laffit Pincay and carrying 117 pounds, crossed the finish line a head in front of Zany Tactics and paid $8.40 and $4.40. Winning time for the 6 1/2-furlong race was 1:15. The victory was the fourth in nine career starts for Zabaleta, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Shecky Greene.

Bernard McEveety, 79, director of such popular television series as "Bonanza" and "Gunsmoke," died Feb. 2 in Encino of natural causes. A native of New Rochelle, N.Y., he moved to California as a child and attended UCLA before serving with the Army infantry in Italy during World War II. He worked as a probation officer until he became a director in 1953.

REMARKS: The ratings underwent their biggest shuffle of the season, with two horses dropping out, Badger Land moving up from sixth place to third and Country Light and Zabaleta being listed for the first time. Ketoh, who has been in the top five all along, is seriously ill with colitis and other problems and his racing career is over.