Hope, Bob, 271
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, 15, 22
Hughes, Buddy, 47
hurricane, 4–5
I
I’m Dying Up Here (Knoedelseder), 269
impressions, 55–56
Improv (Hollywood). See Hollywood Improv
Improv (New York)
Albrecht’s management of, 192–194
closure of, 323
decision to start, 17
décor, 19–20
location, 18
menu, 23
name, 21
opening of, xxi, 18–20, 21
renovations, 18–20
Silver Friedman’s management of, 265–266, 323
success of, 253
Improv, sale of, 328
Improvisation Two, 148
International Creative Management (ICM), 179, 266, 316
Ireland, Doug, 140, 141
J
Jensen, Jim, 138
Jerk, The, 263
Jimmy’s, 179–180
Joffe, Charles, 59
joke stealing, 240
Jonas, David, 241, 246
Jones, Jonah, 241
K
Kahn, Madeline, 85
Kaplan, Gabe, 126, 184
Kaufman, Andy, 7, 75, 111, 129, 183, 186, 198–214, 218, 255, 259–261, 263, 278–279, 281, 298, 305
Kaye, Danny, 208
Keaton, Michael, 196
Keel, Howard, 182
Kelton, Bobby, 24, 100, 171, 220
King, Alan, 239
Kirshner, Don, 128
kitchen staff, 23–24
Klein, Howard, 206, 227, 232
Klein, Robert, xii, xvi, 24, 65, 75, 102–114, 121, 134, 137, 304
on Aiello, 138–139
on Dangerfield, 100–101
on Brenner, 117–118
on Kaufman, 208, 305
on Leno, 167
on Midler, 48–49
on Prinze, 239
on Steinberg, 105, 107
Knight, Jack, 42–43, 65, 83, 96–97, 169, 187–188, 195, 201, 211, 235, 257, 275
Knoedelseder, Bill, 169, 256, 269, 270, 271
Komack, Jimmy, 246
Korean War, 9–11
Korman, Chris, 192
Korman, Harvey, 190–191, 192, 294, 302
Kritzer, Eddie, 318
L
LA Free Clinic, 288
LA Times, 256, 287
Ladman, Cathy, 155–156, 285
Lander, David, 197
Landesberg, Steve, 66–67, 258, 261
Langella, Frank, 80
Larry the Cable Guy, 300–301
LaRusso, Lou, 137
Las Vegas, 264
Lear, Norman, 59, 261–262, 263, 329
Lee, Michele, 15, 22, 69, 330
Leno, Jay, xi–xiii, xviii, 129, 145, 159–174, 191, 194, 255, 258, 259, 270, 281, 324, 329
on Alix Friedman, 293
on Catch A Rising Star, 149
on Klein, 102–103
on Porsche, 288–289
on Prinze, 243, 246–247, 252
on Shore, 258, 272
in strike, 269, 271
on Williams, 232
Letofsky, Irv, 256
Letterman, David, xii, 259, 269, 270, 307–308, 314, 324
Levinson, Barry, 157
Levity Entertainment Group, 328, 329
Lewis, Al, 29
Lewis, Richard, xii, xvii, 75, 93, 122–125, 126, 169, 196, 221, 226, 281, 294, 331–332
on Catch A Rising Star, 150–151
on David, 217–218
on Brenner, 122, 123
on An Evening at the Improv, 298
on Klein, 103, 112–113
on Leno, 168
on Prinze, 239–240, 247
at Prinze’s funeral, 252
in strike, 271
on Williams, 237
Lindsay, John, 179
Lindsay administration, 140–142
lineups, 134
Lipton, Lynne, 141
Little Hippodrome, 185–186
Little Wendy, 305
Lloyd, Christopher, 312
Lonow, Mark, 319
Lopez, Priscilla, 179
Los Angeles, 194. See also California; Hollywood Improv
Lubetkin, Steve, 272–273, 281, 282
Lublin, Emil, 18
M
Mafia, 17, 320–321
Maher, Bill, xv, xviii, xix, 154–155, 283, 293, 306, 316, 322, 323
Mahler, Bruce, 228
Mahru, Bill, 151
Man on the Moon, 305
manager, Friedman as, 47, 49, 167
Mandel, Howie, xix, 67, 169–170, 233, 282–283, 298
Manilow, Barry, xii, 54–55
Manings, Allan, 262
Mann, Howard, 143–144, 177
Mantia, Buddy, 28, 47, 66, 104, 109, 137, 140, 142, 156
Margulies, Lynne, 204, 305
Mark, Alix, 290–294
Mark, Ross, 293, 312, 325
Marshall, Garry, 288
Martin, Dan, 166
Martin, Steve, 263
Martinez, Jimmy, 93
Marvin & Leonard Advertising, 11
Maxwell, Lenny, 223
Maynard, Biff, 278
McCawley, Jim, 285, 314–315
McCormick, Pat, 288
McGraw, Barbara, 172, 273–275
McKean, Michael, 197
McKechnie, Donna, 15, 18, 21
Meara, Anne, 77–81, 88–89
mentors, 59
menu, at Improv, 23
meritocracy, 134
Merv Griffin Show, The, 49, 106, 258, 282
Messina, Rick, 286
Meyer, John, 34–35, 41–42, 46, 73–74, 86
mice, 24
Michaels, Lorne, xix, 325
Midler, Bette, xii, xv–xvi, 31, 44–52, 58, 75, 134, 142, 158, 288, 304, 318
Mike Douglas Show, The, 282
Miller, Dennis, xix, 307
Miller, George, 269
Miller, Larry, 232, 312
Minnelli, Liza, 40–41, 42–43, 107, 290
Minnelli, Vincent, 40
Mittleman, Steve, 193, 253–254, 283
monocle, Friedman’s, 84
Monroe, Marilyn, 18
Moonves, Leslie, xvi, 197, 227, 231
Moore, Dudley, 30
Morra, Buddy, 103, 109
Morse, Robert, 15, 21, 22, 23
Mule Deer, Gary, 255
Murdoch, Bob, 32
Murphy, Eddie, 124, 242, 313
Murphy, Maureen, 258–259
musical theater, 44
N
Nadler, Marty, 56, 59, 66–67, 82–83, 92–93, 119, 133, 141–142, 149–150, 151, 249–250
Nealon, Kevin, 207, 226, 234–235, 248, 267, 274, 284, 302, 318
New Year’s Eve shows, 82–83
New Yorker, The (Magazine), 128
Newman, Rick, 90–91, 116, 148–158, 211, 217, 230, 261, 331
Nicholl Ross West, 288
nightclubs, 16
Nixon, Richard, 176, 177
Norwich, Connecticut, 2
O
O’Daly, Barbara, 297
O’Daly, Lawrence, 296–297
Orbach, Judy, 37, 78–79, 157, 186, 255, 311
on Albrecht, 193
on David, 222, 225–226
on Klein, 113
on Leno, 174
on Williams, 233
Orlando, Tony, 251, 252
Overton, Rick, 120, 210–211, 220, 227–228, 234, 254, 314
Overton & Sullivan, 228, 254
P
Paar, Jack, 60
Patinkin, Sheldon, 105
pay, for comics, 268–273, 281, 282
Pearl, Ed, 188
piano players, at Improv, 32–35, 55, 84
Piscopo, Joe, xix, 48, 135, 331
on Aiello, 142
on Albrecht, 255
on clubs, 157–158
on Dangerfi
eld, 95–96
on Klein, 114–115
on Stiller and Meara, 80–81
on Williams, 235
Pitchell Players, 188, 196
Playboy Club circuit, 241
Plummer, Christopher, 28–30
Pomus, Doc, 30–31
Poundstone, Paula, 170–171, 235, 303–304
power struggles, 72
Prater, Ollie Joe, 278
Preminger, Mike, 110, 131–133, 153, 163, 213, 330
Price, Marc, xviii
Prinze, Freddie, 116, 121, 129, 163, 184, 190, 196, 238–252, 253, 255, 258, 259, 264
Prinze, Freddie Jr., 246
production, Friedman in, 12, 175–180, 187
Provenza, Paul, 135, 173–174, 206, 207, 211, 224–225, 226, 228, 254, 286, 330
Pruetzel, Maria, 252
Pryor, Richard, xxii, 63–70, 72, 73, 108, 128–129, 196, 269, 271, 304
publicist, Improv’s, 28
publicity, 83–84, 128, 154–155
for Catch A Rising Star, 151
for Hollywood Improv, 255–256
Q
quaaludes, 245, 246
R
Rapaport, Michael, 269
Reid, Tim, 129–131, 241–242
Reilly, Charles Nelson, 40
Reiner, Carl, 66, 109, 259–260
Reiser, Paul, xvi, 135, 156–157, 170, 223, 227, 242, 248, 301
Rhodes, Betty, 34, 73–74
Rich, Buddy, 165, 166
Richards, Michael, 201–202, 228, 274
Rivers, Joan, 109
Rizzuto, Phil, 138
Robards, Jason, 28–30
Robinson, Bud, 310
Rock, Chris, 124
Rodgers, Richards, 35
Rodriguez, Angel, 311
Rodriguez, Paul, 240, 244–245, 288, 302
Rollins, Jack, 59–60, 61, 62, 78, 111
Roman, Freddie, 79, 90
Rooney, Kevin, 173
Ross, Diana, 253–254
Ross, Joe E., 93
Ross, Mickey, 288
Ross, Stanley Ralph, 190
Roth, Joe, 189
Roth, Manny, 64
Rowan, Dick, 166
Rubin, Jerry, 185
Rudner, Rita, 265, 293
Runyon, Damon Jr., 83–84
S
Sage, Will, 4, 5
Saget, Bob, 68, 94, 170, 206, 229, 307
Sahlins, Bernie, 106
Saluga, Bill, 55, 91
Sandler, Adam, xvii, 235, 293, 303, 317
Saturday Night Live, 200, 218, 220, 229, 240, 318–319
Saundors, Silver. See Friedman, Silver Saundors
“Save the Last Dance for Me,” 31
Scanga, Dick, 185–186
Schimmel, Robert, 276
Schlatter, George, 285
Schultz, Lenny, 48, 110, 203
Schwartz, Eddie, 242
Scott, Bonnie, 22
Scott, Gene, 204
Screen Actors Guild, 297
Second City, 107
Seinfeld, 157, 218, 220, 230
Seinfeld, Jerry, xv, xviii, xix, 7, 98, 135, 167, 227, 230, 232–233, 284, 327
Sellecca, Connie, 192
sexism, 271
Shapiro, George, 7, 211, 212, 259–261, 284, 305
Shaw, Bob, 255
Sha-wan-ga Lodge, 8, 10
Shearer, Harry, 196
Shearer, Mel, 213
Shire, Sandy, 310
Shore, Mitzi, 256–262, 264, 266, 267–268, 269–273, 277, 278, 280–287
Shore, Sammy, 256, 257, 258
Short, Bobby, 273
Shriner, Wil, 196, 316
Shuman, Mort, 30
Shydner, Ritch, 96, 156, 170, 233, 266, 284–285, 315
Siegel, Randi, 325
Silverman, Sarah, 135
Silverman, Sime, 13
Simon, John, 180
Simpson, O. J., 312
Sinatra, Frank, 12
singers, 73–74, 127
sitcoms, 314, 323
Small, Charlie, 34
Smilers Delicatessen, 22
Smirnoff, Bruce, 212–213, 221–222, 280–281, 289–290, 307–308, 309–310
Smith, Sammy, 9
Smothers Brothers, xxii
Snyder, Marvin “Dusty,” 245
softball league, 135–136
Sogoloff, Lennie, 161
Spade, David, xviii–xix, 285, 302, 306–307, 317–318
sports, 5
St. Louis, Louis, 84, 85
Stand Up NY, 177
Steinberg, David, 65, 105–106, 107, 111, 193, 196, 236, 241, 329, 330
Stiles, Norman, 190
Stiller, Amy, 78, 79, 202–203
Stiller, Ben, 78, 79
Stiller, Jerry, 66, 77–81, 88, 90, 110, 142, 202
Stiller and Meara, xii, 77–81
Stone, Stewie, 74
Storm, Howard, 54
Strauss, Arlene, 8
strike, 269–273, 281, 282
strippers, 26–27
substance abuse, 237, 278
suicide
Lubetkin’s, 272–273, 281
Prinze’s, 244, 245
Williams’s, 237
Sullivan, Ed, 145
syndication, 297
T
tabloids, 313
taping, of acts, 108–109, 115
Tartikoff, Brandon, 288
Tennis, Craig, 50, 130, 144–145, 146–147, 152, 243
Texaco Star Theater, 8
theft, of jokes, 240
Thomas, Betty, 275
Thomerson, Tim, 255
Times Square, 175
Tomlin, Lily, xii, xvi, 84–86, 220, 318
Tonight Show, The, 49–51, 59, 61, 72, 114, 130, 143–147, 171, 172, 173, 174, 183, 191, 192, 238, 242, 243–244, 285, 314–315, 318, 324
Torres, Liz, 68–69, 111, 118, 190, 195, 240, 251–252
Trillin, Calvin, 128
Years of Laughter at the Improv, 304
Tyson, Mike, 312
U
Untouchables, The (musical group), 47, 104, 137
V
Vallee, Rudy, 22, 23, 27
Van Dyke, Dick, 260
Variety, 13, 313
Verbit, Helen, 44, 45
Vernon, Jackie, 57–58, 107
Vietnam War, 35
vulgarity, 124
W
waitresses, singing, 36–39
Walker, Jimmie, 37–38, 94, 112, 119, 126, 127, 149, 151, 184, 190, 243, 249, 258, 261–262, 331
Wallace, George, 98, 286
Warfield, Marsha, 269
Wayans, Keenen Ivory, 319
Weber, Gene, 154
Weeden, Bill, 72
Weintraub, Fred, 62
Welch, Raquel, 144
Weld, Tuesday, 30
Werner, Tom, 314
West, Mae, 45–46, 52
Wexler, Norman, 211–212
What’s a Nice Country Like You Doing in a State Like This? 176, 177–180
Willard, Fred, 56, 93–94, 111, 204
Williams, Paul, 252
Williams, Robin, 111, 157, 169, 231–237, 253, 263, 270, 271, 278–279, 280, 281, 293–294, 298, 305, 314, 316, 318
Willis, Bruce, 312, 313, 318
Wilson, Earl, 26, 151
Wilson, Flip, 304
Wilson, Tom, 267
Winger, Debra, 197
Winters, Jonathan, 316
Wisdom, Norman, 28
Wuhl, Robert, 98–99, 236
Z
Zmuda, Bob, 168, 183–187, 204–205, 211–212, 222, 305, 331
Zweibel, Alan, xvii, 91, 109, 126–127, 168, 202, 219, 229, 240–241
About the Authors
BUDD FRIEDMAN is the original owner, founder, and emcee of the legendary comedy club The Improvisation (better known as The Improv). Opening in 1963, The Improv was the first of its kind to present comedians in a continuous format and the first one to give unknown performers the opportunity to try out new material in front o
f a live audience—with the chance to be discovered by talent agents and late-night TV bookers.
TRIPP WHETSELL is a New York–based author, entertainment journalist, and critic specializing in comedy, television, film, music, and pop-culture history. His work has appeared both in print and online for such publications as VanityFair.com, Variety, TV Guide, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, the New York Times, New York magazine, the New York Daily News, Closer Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, and the Hollywood Reporter. This is his third book.
© David Kogut
The Improv Page 40
