Ish Kabibble

Bogue died in 1994 in Joshua Tree, California, of respiratory failure brought on by pulmonary disease and emphysema.

In his 1989 autobiography, Bogue explained his stage name, which he took from the lyrics of one of his comedic songs, "Isch ga-bibble."

In 1985, the character's name was used as a plot device on the animated series The Thirteen Ghosts of Scooby-Doo when Scooby and the gang, along with an animated spoof of Vincent Price, go in search of the Amulet of Ish Kabibble.

Around 1983, Ish Kabibble was the voice recording for the animated series Challenge of the GoBots. This predecessor to the more popular Transformers series also had humans allied with both sides of feuding mechanical extraterrestrials. One example was Soviet Russian scientist Dr. Anya Turgenova. Towards the end of the pilot episode, she muttered, "Ishkabibble!" in boredom after hearing her friends' summoned to a U.S. federal government inquiry.

A children's book, "Ishkabibble!" by Dorothy Crayder, with art by Susan Vaeth was published in 1975. The word in the book is a nonsense motivational term, and is revealed to translate as "who cares?" as in the alleged etymology from above.

In 1961 Bogue earned a license to sell real estate, and became successful in his new career. "I liked selling real estate," he recalled in his memoir. "In a sense, selling real estate is much the same as being in show business. Instead of talking to a large audience, I talk to a man and his wife. The applause happens when they write the check, and if they do not write the check, it means I did a lousy show." By 1973, Bogue and his wife were living in Hawaii. Bogue caused double-takes from prospective clients who saw his trademark haircut and read his business card: "Ish Kabibble, Sales Manager."

The name "Ish Kabbible" was used for a hoax student supposedly enrolled at Princeton University in the 1950s.

Although Bogue's stage persona was that of a gangling goof, he was a notable cornet player and was also business manager for the Kay Kyser Orchestra for most of its existence. Kyser disbanded the orchestra during the summer of 1947 but resurrected it for a television series in October 1949. During the hiatus Spike Jones hired Bogue to appear as Ish Kabibble in Jones's zany band the City Slickers. Bogue didn't care for the experience, and was with the Jones band only briefly. Bogue was one of only four members of the Kyser band who returned for the TV show, which ran 14 months. Kyser retired from show business on Christmas Day, 1950, and the band broke up for good.

Bogue studied law at West Virginia University, but his comedy antics soon found an audience. He appeared in ten movies between 1939 and 1950. In Thousands Cheer (1943), he appeared with Kay Kyser and sang "I Dug a Ditch," and he also appeared as a vocalist in That's Right—You're Wrong (1939), You'll Find Out (1940), and Playmates (1941). In addition, he performed with Kyser on the radio and television quiz show Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge in 1949 and 1950.

Merwyn Bogue was known informally as "Mern." He married Janet Meade in 1932, and the couple had three children: Merwyn (known as Peter), born 1937; Pamela, 1940; and Janet, 1941.

Ish Kabibble (January 19, 1908 – June 5, 1994) was an American comedian and cornet player.