Gilmartin was a dead ringer for the goofy next-door neighbor of the television Keaton family, right down to the thatch of hair covering his forehead and the John Lennon-type glasses.

"When I bought 'em (the glasses) and started wearing 'em, I had no idea I looked like Skippy," Gilmartin says now. "But everybody would say that, so I thought, `Hey, that'll be a good opener.' "

Gilmartin, who is the opening act at Catch a Rising Star (151 E. Wacker Dr.; 565-HAHA) through Sunday, was born in South Holland and went to St. Joseph's school in Homewood. Comedy alumni at St. Joe's include Jimmy Aleck and Ken Sevara. Gilmartin's a regular at the Chicago area comedy clubs and has toured the northeastern and southern U.S. He graduated with a theater degree from Indiana University and had a small role in "The Untouchables." Gilmartin was scheduled to tape FOX-TV's "Comedy Express" this week at the Funny Firm.