Gene Seymour : Sid Caesar was explosive , hilarious comic , very popular in TV 's early days . He had a lot of hits and he didn't care who knew it or what they thought about him. His writers included Carl Reiner , Mel Brooks , Woody Allen , Neil Simon ; he was hugely influential . Seymour : He was impulsive , conquered addictions , lived long to see impact of his work .
Gene Seymour : Sid Caesar was explosive , hilarious comic , very popular in TV 's early days . He says in the '50s , Caesar 's TV shows appealed to both working and thinking classes . His writers included Carl Reiner , Mel Brooks , Woody Allen , Neil Simon ; he was hugely influential . Seymour : He was impulsive , conquered addictions , lived long to see impact of his work .