Cardis Cardell Willis

Infobox Comedian
name = Cardis Cardell Willis


imagesize = 220px
caption = Willis on stage before a comeback on a heckler
pseudonym =
birth_date = birth date|1937|4|20|mf=y
birth_place = Forest, Mississippi, U.S.
death_date = death date and age|2007|2|10|1937|4|20
death_place = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
medium = Stand-up comedy
nationality = American
active = c1950s–1990s
genre = Satire, Observational comedy, Black comedy, Improvisational comedy, Character comedy
subject = race relations, American politics, African-American culture, human sexuality, self-deprecation, everyday life, family
influences = Jack Benny, George Burns, Redd Foxx, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, Rodney Dangerfield, and Mort Sahl
influenced = Will Durst, Dobie Maxwell, Richard Halasz, Chris Barnes
notable_work=


website = [http://www.cardellwillis.com CardellWillis.com]
footnotes =
emmyawards =

Cardis Cardell Willis, better known as Cardell Willis, and often billed as C. Cardell Willis, was an influential Milwaukee comic. He was locally known mostly in the 1970s, 1980's, and 1990's. He went by the name Cardell socially and professionally, but used his formal name legally.

He was mentor to Will Durst before his eventual fame in San Francisco, and [http://dobiemaxwell.com/ Dobie Maxwell] , as well as Richard Halasz, and Chris Barnes, all of whom are natives to Milwaukee.

He eventually developed Alzheimers which robbed him of his ability to tell the storied jokes he was known for. He died on February 10, 2007 in a group home at age 69 after suffering two strokes. He was buried at Graceland Cemetery in Milwaukee.

His son, Benjamin created a web memorial to his father when he discovered what influence he father had on Milwaukee comedy, and the sons of the city who would gain fame in their field.

There are plans for a tribute show to be held to honor Willis' contributions, and generosity to his peers, and community. The MC will be Dobie Maxwell, who called Willis his [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father#Fatherhood_defined_by_contact_level_with_child Comedy Father.]

References

* [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=MWSB|PKPB&p_product=MSNP&p_theme=msnp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_dispstring=cardell%20willis%20AND%20date()&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(cardell%20willis)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no Archives of Willis from jsonline.com]
* [http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=565657 Obituary from Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]
* [http://www.chicagostylestandups.com/dobie/index.php?yy=2007&mm=2&dd=12 Blog on Chicago Standups from Dobie Maxwell]
* [http://www.onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/blog/show/311 Dobie Maxwell's reaction to Willis' death]
* [http://cardellwillis.com/Durst.html Email from Will Durst]

External links

* [http://www.cardellwillis.com Web Memorial to Cardell Willis]