Absurd comic of the counterculture era

Peter Bergman, a founder of absurd American comedy troupe Firesign Theatre, has died at the age of 72.

The group, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, were part of the counterculture revolution of the late Sixties and early Seventies, with their four albums all becoming cult hits.

Their stream of consciousness style was heavily influenced by the Goon Show, and their name came both from a parody of the vintage radio programme Fireside Theatre and because all four members had ‘fire’ astrological signs.

Bergman also organised Los Angeles’s first ‘love-in’. Intended to be a picnic for a few hundred fans, it turned into what The LA Times described as an ‘Easter Sunday freak-out’ for 4,000 people.

The group – with of Phil Austin, David Ossman and Philip Proctor as the other members – split up and reformed several shows, but the performed a run of shows featuring Bergman as recently as December.

He died of complications of leukaemia yesterday in Santa Monica, according to his former wife, Maryedith Burrell.

Here is some of the Firesign’s work:

Published: 10 Mar 2012