Lester A. White, 77; Veteran Comedy Writer

A memorial service was held Friday for Lester A. (Les) White, a comedy writer whose career encompassed vaudeville, the Broadway stage, films, radio and television. White was 77 when he died Wednesday in Los Angeles of cancer.

He began selling jokes out of college in 1934 and over the years worked closely with Bob Hope, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante, Red Skelton and Eve Arden.