I would also like to thank our four wonderful children: my daughters Beth and Zoe, and Alix’s sons Ross and Dax, whom I have loved as my own ever since they came into my life. I could not be prouder of who they have become. And their spouses Kim, Beth, Steve, and John, and the incredible grandchildren they have given Alix and me: Noah, Sophia, Jacob, Bronte, and Gibson. More than anything else I have ever accomplished in my life, it is they who fill me with the greatest sense of joy and accomplishment.
As for the other members of my immediate family who have known me the longest—my sisters Kala and Helene—I love you with all my heart. My two wonderful brothers-in-law, Eddie and Gene, who are no longer with us and I will always remember fondly.
My late mother Edith, who served as two parents after my father Benjamin died when I was five years old and always supported my dreams.
Also, Fran Cowan, who was my first cousin and secretary/assistant for more than three decades at the Hollywood Improv. She masterfully rose to the occasion whenever it came to being a buffer between me and the other comics.
I would like to make a special acknowledgement to my co-author and collaborator, Tripp Whetsell, for helping me sort through the memories and persevere to write this book.
When it comes to my extended Improv family who spent time on our stage, many of whom also generously contributed their stories, my gratitude is equally profound. To Jay Leno, Robert Klein, Richard Lewis, and Jimmy Fallon. Thank you. To Danny Aiello, Chris Albrecht, Judd Apatow, Lewis Black, Drew Carey, Dick Cavett, Billy Crystal, Larry David, Tom Dreesen, Jeff Foxworthy, Al Franken, Gilbert Gottfried, Larry the Cable Guy, Howie Mandel, Kevin Nealon, Joe Piscopo, Paula Poundstone, Paul Provenza, Carl Reiner, Paul Rodriguez, Bob Saget, Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, David Spade, David Steinberg, Fred Willard, and Alan Zweibel. Thank you.
Also, to Nichole Davis, Rita Piazza, Jack Knight, Howard and Patricia Storm, and Lou and Arlene Alexander. Thank you. To all of my other friends, business associates, and members of the Improv family too numerous to mention—some of whom were unable to be a part of this book because of other commitments, but were no less a crucial part of the story—thank you. To Robin Williams, Rodney Dangerfield, David Astor, Richard Pryor, Anne Meara, Milton Berle, Andy Kaufman, Freddie Prinze, Dennis Wolfberg, Max Alexander, and all the others who provided years of laughter and are no longer with us, I hope that each of you knows how much you meant to me wherever you are.
And last but not least, my endearing appreciation to our customers. Because of you, I unexpectedly found my life’s calling—and, despite a few bumps in the road, it has been an incredible adventure.
Tripp Whetsell
Although I was only the messenger, I also have many people to thank for their support and encouragement as I helped Budd write this book. As someone who has always wanted to be a comedian ever since I first discovered An Evening at the Improv as a teenager back in the mid-eighties, it has been a dream come true in every way. So has getting to know Budd, who not only welcomed me into his world with open arms, he never once failed to do whatever was necessary to help me get key interviews that would otherwise have been impossible.
I am grateful as well to Budd’s wife Alix, his sister Kala, his daughter Zoe, and his son Ross. I would also like to thank Budd’s assistant Nichole Davis and all the dedicated staff at the Hollywood Improv, including longtime manager Rita Piazza, bartender Eddie Berke, and photographer Mike Carano. At Levity Entertainment, which now owns the Improv, the support I received from Robert Hartmann and the rest of his team was no less amazing.
This book would also never have happened without my friend and super-agent extraordinaire Peter Rubie. Peter has loyally represented me for the past seventeen years and never once strayed. True to form, he was passionate about this project’s commercial merits from day one—first in guiding me as I put together a proposal and then getting it into the enthusiastic hands of Glenn Yeffeth, publisher of BenBella Books, who was always generous with his time and availability whenever I needed him.
So was our editor Vy Tran, whom I would like to thank for her keen editorial eye and unfailing patience, both when it came to suggestions for improving the manuscript and giving us multiple extensions needed to complete it. Additional salutes to Adrienne Lang, Jessika Rieck, Lindsay Marshall, Sarah Dombrosky, and Scott Calamar, whose individual and collective contributions enhanced the final product immeasurably.
I am appreciative beyond words to Alan Zweibel, Rick Newman, David Steinberg, and George Shapiro, as well as David and George’s assistants Tanner Gibson and Tammi Armitage. Their generosity in reaching out to many key Improv alumni whose fame is such that it required an extra nudge beyond Budd’s was truly amazing.
I am also indebted to Jeff Abraham, Rory Rosegarten, Michael O’Brien, and Sheri Rosenberg Kelton for their help. Because I was too young to go to the original New York Improv during its heyday, I must especially salute three individuals—Shelley Ackerman, Judy Orbach, and Pat Buckles—for their invaluable guidance in giving me the lay of the land, as well as sharing their memories and pictures.
When it came to other books that were invaluable for helping to fill in critical reporting gaps, three in particular were especially useful: I’m Dying Up Here: Heartbreak and High-Times in Stand-Up Comedy’s Golden Era by Bill Knoedelseder; Comedy at the Edge: How Stand-Up in the 1970s Changed America by Richard Zoglin; and Stand-Up Guys: A Generation of Laughs by John DeBellis.
Shani Friedman was an absolute godsend. For many months—and often on a moment’s notice—she meticulously transferred hundreds upon thousands of words from audio recorder to computer screen at mind-boggling speed with many invaluable suggestions to boot. A major hats-off also to Carol Kraemer whose invaluable help in copy-editing early versions of the manuscript made it far more readable than it would have been otherwise.
On a more personal note, I am grateful beyond words I can ever properly express to my family for all of their unwavering support while I was writing this book: my mother and father, Anne and Bill Whetsell; my sister and brother-in-law, Holly and Gabe Coltea and their three daughters; my aunt and uncle, Porter and Carol Rodgers; my cousins John and Melinda Couzens and Susan Drumm; and especially Brent and Melissa Padgett for lending a helping hand when I needed it the most.
I am also forever grateful for the love and support of my treasure trove of friends, teachers, and professional colleagues. To Linda Evans, Ann Anello, Candyce Francis, Carol Scibelli, George James, Jesse Nash, Rob Bates, Susan Shapiro, Marsha Della-Giustina, Sharon Klein, Steve Zisk, Linda Alexander, Jon Satriale, Neil Vineberg, Wayne Jacques, Mike Kornfeld, Michael Caputo, David Kougot, Bruce Fretts, Richard Rubenstein, Adam Weiss, Angela Trostle, and Bob Greenberg. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Index
A
Ackerman, Shelley, 25, 37–39, 75–76, 79, 111–112, 151, 154, 164, 213–214, 249
advertising, 11, 15–16, 36, 297
African Room, The, 46–47
Aiello, Danny, xii, 57, 104, 132, 135, 136–142
on Dangerfield, 94
on Brenner, 118–119, 120
on Kaufman, 212
on Leno, 172–173
on Midler, 47
on Pomus, 31
on Prinze, 249
on Pryor, 67
on Stiller, 79–80
Aiello, Ricky, 197
Albertson, Jack, 238, 252
Albrecht, Chris, 96, 157, 183–187, 192–194, 222, 227, 254, 264, 265–266, 311, 316–317, 331
alcohol, 27, 29, 75, 89, 91, 95, 237, 246, 311
Alexander, Lou, 18, 54, 316
Alexander, Max, 149, 233, 286–287
Allen, Byron, 67–68, 196, 203, 242, 247–248, 283, 301, 313
Allen, Peter, 41, 42–43
Allen, Steve, 131
Allen, Woody, 60, 61, 136, 263, 318
Altman, Bob “Uncle Dirty,” 91–92, 127
Alto, Bobby, 47, 137
Alton, Bill, 106
&nbs
p; American Comedy Awards, 318
Anderson, Louie, 285
Anderson, Mark, 315–317
Anello, Ann, 74
Apatow, Judd, xviii, 94–95, 173, 229, 317, 322, 331
Archerd, Army, 313
Archibald, Dottie, 269, 272, 273, 275–276, 278, 304
Archibald, Tom, 273, 278
Arnold, Eddie, 166, 308
Arthur, Bea, 303–304, 316
Arts & Entertainment Network, 299
Ash Grove, 188–189
Astor, David, xxii, 53–54, 64
Astrow, JoAnne, 269
Attell, Dave, 135
audience, 114
auditions, 129, 157–158, 281
Kaufman’s, 199–200
Aurelio, Richard, 179
B
Backus, Jim, 303
Ball, Lucille, 252
Baranski, Christine, 80
Barr, Roseanne, 285, 308
Barry, J.J., 54
Basinger, Kim, 176
Becker, Murray, 130, 166–167
Behrendt, Greg, 301, 322
Belushi, John, 312
Belzer, Richard, xix, 75, 196, 211
Bennett, Michael, 15
Bennett, Ross, 28
Berke, Eddie, 95, 171–172, 293, 311, 313
Berle, Milton, 8, 294
Bernhard, Sandra, 293
Bessell, Ted, 303
Best, Paula, 65
Binder, Mike, 282
Black, Karen, 36
Black, Lewis, xix, 302, 308
blackout, in New York, 168
Blankfield, Mark, 228
Bluestone, Ed, 118, 134, 213, 330
Blum, Eddie, 35
Blum, Michael, 128
Boland, Bonnie, 195
Boosler, Elayne, 36, 126, 203, 234, 255, 259, 269, 270, 271, 305
Boston, 11, 160
Bowen, Roger, 189
Braunstein, Gene, 160
Braverman, Marvin, 104, 109–110, 117, 137, 139, 241
Brenner, David, 75, 115–121, 240
Breslin, Jimmy, 179
brick wall, 19–20
Brillstein, Bernie, 288
bringers, 123
Brisebois, Danielle, 214
Broadway Show League, 135–136
Brolin, James, 192
Brooks, Albert, 289–290
Bruce, Kitty, 203, 248
Bruce, Lenny, xxii, 160, 239
Buckles, Pat, 168–169, 194
Buckley, Betty, 179
Burns, Jack, 166
Bursky, Alan, 121, 250–251
Byrne, Anne, 33
C
Caesar, Sid, 7
Caldwell, Burt, 12–13
California, 145–147, 182–183, 194. See also Hollywood Improv
Camelot, 132–133
Carano, Mike, 234
Carey, Drew, 97–98, 282, 301, 318
Carey, Ron, 54, 64
Carlin, George, xxii, 166, 240
Carrey, Jim, 298, 305
Carsey, Marcy, 314
Carson, Johnny, xviii, 49, 50, 51, 117, 144–145, 171, 191, 192, 253, 271, 285, 301, 309–310, 314. See also Tonight Show
Carvey, Dana, 318
Catch A Rising Star, 116, 148–158, 211, 217, 219, 222, 230, 261, 265, 284
Catskill Mountains, xxi, 8–9, 10, 95, 126
Cavett, Dick, 58–59, 60–62, 110–111, 208
celebrities, 27, 28, 307–308, 311–315
Chambers, Ernie, 190
Chico and the Man, 238, 246, 250
children’s show, 214
Chorus Line, A, 15
Chung, Connie, 271
Clifton, Tony (character), 209–212
DeWitt Clinton High School, 7, 104, 138
Clooney, George, 11
Clooney, Rosemary, 11
Coca, Imogene, 7
coffeehouse, 17
Cohn, Sam, 179
Colmes, Alan, 158
comedians, 53–62. See also individual comedians
decision to use, xxii
pay for, 268–273, 281, 282
rivalry with singers, 73–74
comedians, African American, 315
comedians, female, 271, 315
Comedians for Compensation, 270–273
comedy, xxiii
changes in, xxii, 127
decline of, 323
Comedy Channel, The, 319
Comedy Store, The, xviii, 256–262, 266, 269–273, 277, 280, 281, 282–287
Comic Relief USA, 183
commercials, 81
competition, between performers, 72–74, 129
Conaway, Jeff, 305
Continental Baths, 52
Corey, Irwin, 127–128, 294
Cosby, Bill, 88, 314
Cosby Show, The, 314
Credibility Gap, The, 196–197
Crystal, Billy, xii, xvi, 157, 158, 163, 225, 233, 242, 284
D
Daily News (New York), 128
Dangerfield, Rodney, 42, 56, 87–101, 134, 138, 269
Dangerfield’s, 91
Danz, Cassandra, 154
Danza, Tony, 305
Davatzes, Nickolas, 299
David, Larry, 129, 135, 155, 157, 215–230
Davidoff, Sid, 179–180
Davis, Sammy Jr., 12, 243, 244, 252
Davis, Tom, 80, 167, 188, 229
de Cordova, Freddie, 146, 243
DeBellis, John, 67, 92, 112, 219–221, 223–224
DeGeneres, Ellen, 315
DeLuca, Rudy, 256, 257, 258
depression, 237
deRoy, Jamie, 27–28, 48, 74
DeVito, Danny, 305
Diary of a Young Comic, 124–125
Dierkop, Charles, 137
Dorin, Phoebe, 33, 36–37, 65–66
Douglas, Mike, 147
Downey, Jim, 27
Draft Dodger, The, 34, 35
Dreesen, Tom, 69–70, 113–114, 224, 269, 270, 278, 281
on audition, 129–131
on Brenner, 116–117
on Hollywood Improv, 195–196
on Kaufman, 209–210
on Prinze, 241–242
in strike, 269, 270, 272
drugs, 63–64, 91–92, 95, 237, 245–246, 247, 249, 250–251, 311
Dunham, Jeff, xviii
Durgom, George “Bullets,” 12
E
Ed Sullivan Show, The, 72, 78, 145
emcees
Albrecht, 193
Dangerfield, 88
Friedman, 58
Hirsch, 229, 254
Maher, 155
Smirnoff, 221, 281
Esper, Bill, 216
Evening at the Improv, An, 296–304, 315
extortion, 320–321
F
Fallon, Jimmy, xv, 90, 145, 146, 200–201, 233, 283, 299, 324, 325–327
Fiddler on the Roof, 44, 45
Field, Robin, 38
Finkle, David, 72
Finney, Albert, 30
Fiorello! 13, 14–15, 31
fire, at Hollywood Improv, 273–279, 281
Flanders, Anne, 52
Fond, Miriam, 177
food, 23
Foster, George, 282
Foxworthy, Jeff, xvii–xviii, 120, 300
Foxx, Redd, 238, 253
franchises, 315–317, 319
Franken, Al, 80, 167–168, 188–189, 229–230
Franklin, Joe, 49
Friars Club, 49
Fridays, 218, 220, 221, 223, 228
Friedberg, Martin, 54
Friedman, Alix Mark, 290–294, 320
Friedman, Benjamin, 2, 3–4
Friedman, Beth, 13, 287–288
Friedman, Budd, xi, xii, xiii
in army, 9–11
childhood, 2–8
college education, 11
daughters, 13, 214, 215, 287–288
death of father, 3–4
divorce, 265–266, 287–288
first wife. See Friedman, Silver Saundors
generosit
y of, 38–39
grandfather, 6
job in advertising, 11
jobs after high school, 8–9
legacy, 328–332
midlife crisis, 288–290
personality, 152–153
second wife, 290–294
Friedman, Edith, 2, 3
Friedman, Helene, 2, 3
Friedman, Kala, 2, 3
Friedman, Silver Saundors, 13–15, 18, 21, 22–23, 26, 27, 28–29, 127
on Astor, 53–54
on comedians, 58
divorce, 265–266, 287
on Frye, 57
on Leno, 164–165
management of New York Improv, 265–266, 323
on Minnelli, 41
and move to LA, 187, 194
on Pryor, 73
on Stiller and Meara, 79
Friedman, Zoe, 13, 214, 215, 287–288
Frost, Cynthia, 24, 26–27
Frost, David, 49
Frye, David, xxii, 55–57, 93, 96
G
Garland, Judy, 40, 41–43, 290
Gasman, Ira, 176–178
Gifford, Frank, 138
Gilroy, John, 50
Gleason, Jackie, 12
Gold, Judy, 135, 301
Goldberg, Whoopi, 314
Goldman, Albert, 160
Goldstein, Mark, 304
Goldstein, Michael, 23, 28, 84, 153
Good Times, 262
Goodman, John, 312
Gossett, Louis Jr., 34
Gottfried, Gilbert, 156, 206–207, 220, 226–227, 236
Graiman, Jack, 274
Green, Jerry, 31
Gregory, Dick, xxii
Grisham, Cliff, 273, 278
Gulino, Bill, 92
Gunty, Morty, 103
H
Hall, Arsenio, 293, 319
Hall, Paul, 247–248
Handman, Stan, 190, 296, 297
Harris, Rosalind, 46
Hartmann, Robert, 329
HBO, 316–317, 331
Heller, Aaron, 20
Hell’s Kitchen, xxi
Henley, Vic, 300
Henner, Marilu, 305
Hirsch, Glenn, 229, 242, 254, 255
Hirsch, Judd, 305
Hoffman, Abbie, 185
Hoffman, Cary, 176–178
Hoffman, Dustin, xii, 32–34
Hollywood Improv, xxiii, 116, 145
Albrecht’s management of, 264–265
fire at, 273–279, 281
investors, 190, 192, 195, 261
opening of, 195–197
plans for, 187–189
problems at, 281
publicity for, 255–256
renovations, 194–195
restaurant, 319–320
success of, 253
The Improv Page 39
