Retired comedian and actor Franklin Ajaye is living in Australia. He was part of the cast in ‘Car Wash,’ a 1976 film that also featured Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Garrett Morris.
Courtesy photo
By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
When one of the most beloved films of the 1970s, “Car Wash,” was getting recognized for its 40th anniversary, TASTY CLIPS reached out to one of its stars, the always candid FRANKLYN AJAYE, about his recollections on being a part of the Michael Schultz-directed movie with its stand-out ensemble cast of Bill Duke, Richard Pryor, Ivan Dixon, the Pointer Sisters, George Carlin, Garrett Morris, Clarence Muse and so many other luminaries.
Ajaye, the stand-up comic and actor who was featured in “Stir Crazy,” “Convoy,” “Bridesmaid” and “Deadwood,” was enjoying the retired life in Australia at the time and working on his second book which he described as part memoir, funny essays, short stories and serious opinions called “I’m Insane/Notes of a Vagabond Jazz Comedian.”
Fortunately, he made the time to share a few facts about the making of the classic “closet musical” that was honored with two awards at the Cannes Film Festival.
On his cinematic love interest: “Traci [Reed] is a happy recluse these days just doing a lot of reading and making her pottery,” said Ajaye of his cinematic love interest. “She’s a great gal and very content, but she just wants to be left alone. Last I saw her, she was cheerful and aging gracefully.”
There are two versions of the film: “Scenes with Danny DeVito and Brooke Adams as café owners near the Car Wash were cut out of the released film,” he revealed. “They were put back in the televised version to replace Antonio Fargas’ scenes which were deemed too gay for television at that time.”
There was talk of a sequel at one time: Ajaye says two scripts were written. “One by Ehrich Van Lowe captured the spirit, humor and intent of the first [film]. One written by Forest Whittaker, they chose to do because they wanted him to direct it, but it was so dark and negative that nobody wanted to do it. It was terrible.”
On his comedy peers: “Richard Pryor was a volatile, complex man. While I deeply admired his art, I didn’t like to be around him. It was like being around nitroglycerin. During my career, I received unsolicited compliments from Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Robert Klein, Redd Foxx, and Pryor — which was very gratifying. Foxx told me I was “Richard Pryor without the hand grenade,” and then pulled out his ever-present vial and coke spoon. Like American Express, he never left home without it.”
Since it had been quite a while since we last heard from Ajaye, a reach out was long due.
“I’m in pretty good health still,” he declared. “Just enjoying being retired and being alive. Russell Peters came over to Australia to tour two years ago and when he came to Melbourne and found out I was here, he asked me to do 15 minutes to open his show at Cain Arena which seats 7,500, and I did really well. It was my first time on stage in 12 years. It was just like riding a bike.”
Ajaye returned to the stage once again last year when Jerry Seinfeld and Mario Joyner came over to the continent. “They did 11 shows in 13 days,” said the now 76-year-old renaissance man. “I don’t miss doing that, but they both love it. Jerry sold out Rod Laver Arena and did a Q&A session at the end of his show. He was asked who his favorite comedians were and he said Carlin, Pryor, and then he named me — which was a total surprise. He tried to convince me to do stand up again saying “I had the magic,” but I can’t do nights, hotels and airports again. Other than that, I’m just living.”
For more than 11 years, Bill Vaughan has kept Wave readers up to date with the latest news in entertainment. Now, we are collecting some of those past columns into what we call the Best of Tasty Clips. To contact Vaughan, visit his social media pages on Facebook and Instagram or @tasty_clips, on X @tastyclips, and on LinkedIn to William Vaughan.
