Robert Klein
Robert Klein | |
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American politics | |
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Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is an American
He is known for his film roles in
Early life
Klein was born in
After graduating from DeWitt Clinton High School,[7] Klein had planned to study medicine; however, he changed his mind during his studies at Alfred University, deciding to go into acting instead.[8]
While studying at the
Career
Early work
Klein's first major appearance was as host of the 1970 summer replacement
Klein starred in HBO's first stand-up comedy special in 1975 during the cable channel's early broadcast days and has continued to appear in several more one-man shows which have typically concluded with his "I can't stop my leg" routine.[12] On November 15, 1975, during Season 1, and again in Season 3, on January 28, 1978, Klein hosted Saturday Night Live.[13][14] His skits included Tough Director in 1975,[15] Nick The Lounge Singer Sings Star Wars Theme in 1978[16] and The Olympia Restaurant: Cheeseburger, Chips and Pepsi in 1978.[17]
In 1979, Klein starred in Neil Simon's musical comedy They're Playing Our Song opposite Lucie Arnaz. He received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical nomination.[18]
In 1985, he starred in the "
Comedy albums
Klein has released four comedy albums, A Child of the Fifties (1973), Mind Over Matter (1974), New Teeth (1975), and Let's Not Make Love (1990). The first two albums received Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album nominations.[23]
In A Child of the Fifties (1973,
His next album, Mind Over Matter (1974), included extensive discussion of the Watergate scandal and another song—the title track—about a kid who turned to humor to become popular.[24]
"The funniest album by a standup comic since George Carlin's Class Clown leaves behind the grammar-school nostalgia—which although frequently amusing always seemed formulaic when it wasn't—that kept Klein from sounding commercially uncompromised. Unlike Carlin, Klein gets better all the time. Never trivial, never cynical, never lacking a comic purpose for his outrage, he's up there with Pryor and Tomlin."
—Review of New Teeth in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981)[25]
Klein's follow-up album, New Teeth (1975,
Klein responded to the end of the sexual revolution with his 1990 album, Let's Not Make Love, which contained many of the same routines as his 1984 HBO special Child of the '50s, Man of the '80s and his 1986 special Robert Klein on Broadway.[27]
Film and television
Klein has appeared in such films as
In 2005 he launched The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue, his 8th HBO Special[30]
In March 2007, Klein once again collaborated with Adam Sandler (after appearing in Mixed Nuts) in Reign Over Me, and in September 2007 released a new DVD compilation of his eight live HBO specials, entitled Robert Klein: The HBO Specials 1975–2005.[31] Klein starred in The Mysteries of Laura, a crime dramedy on NBC starring Debra Messing. In this series he played the father of the show's main character, Laura. He appeared alongside Messing again in the relaunched version of her sitcom Will & Grace, playing the father of her character, Grace Adler.[32] In 2014, Klein played the Canadian Ambassador on Madam Secretary.[33] Klein played the Mayor of New York City in Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014) and Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015).[33]
On 29 January 2018, producers announced that Klein would be playing
Personal life
Klein is divorced from opera singer Brenda Boozer. They have a son, Alexander Stuart Klein, who goes by Allie Klein and performs standup comedy.[36]
Influence
Klein has named Lenny Bruce, Jonathan Winters, and Rodney Dangerfield as comedy influences.[37]
Jerry Seinfeld has stated Klein's influences on him stating "He was The Beatles of Comedy to me." Various comedians including Bill Maher, Billy Crystal, Richard Lewis, and Jay Leno, all have also cited Klein as a comedic influence.[38][39]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1970 | The Landlord
|
Peter | Credited as Bob Klein | |
1970 | The Owl and the Pussycat | Barney | ||
1971 | The Pursuit of Happiness | Melvin Lasher | ||
1972 | Rivals | Peter / Husband | ||
1978 | Hooper | Roger Deal | ||
1979 | The Bell Jar | Lenny | ||
1981 | Nobody's Perfekt | Walter | ||
1982 | The Last Unicorn | Butterfly | Voice | |
1988 | Dangerous Curves | Bam Bam | ||
1990 | Tales from the Darkside: The Movie | Wyatt | Segment: "Lover's Vow" | |
1994 | Radioland Murders | Father Writer | ||
1994 | Mixed Nuts | Mr. Lobel | ||
1995 | Jeffrey | Skip Winkley | ||
1996 | One Fine Day | Dr. Martin | ||
1998 | Next Stop Wonderland | Arty Lesser | ||
1998 | Primary Colors | Norman Asher | ||
1999 | Suits | Tom Cranston | ||
1999 | The Contract | Jackson | ||
1999 | Goosed | Dad / Mel | ||
2000 | Labor Pains | David Raymond | ||
2001 | Piñero | Doctor | ||
2001 | The Safety of Objects | Howard Gold | ||
2002 | I'm with Lucy | Dr. Mort Zalkind | ||
2002 | People I Know | Dr. Sandy Napier | ||
2002 | Two Weeks Notice | Larry Kelson | ||
2003 | How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days | Phillip Warren | ||
2006 | Ira & Abby | Seymour Black | ||
2007 | Reign Over Me | Jonathan Timpleman | ||
2010 | The Back-up Plan | Dr. Scott Harris | ||
2011 | National Lampoon's Dirty Movie | The CEO | ||
2011 | Demoted | Bob Farrell | ||
2012 | Another Dirty Movie | The CEO | ||
2012 | Putzel | Narrator | Voice | |
2021 | Before I Go | Jasper |
Source:
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1973 | Love, American Style | Michael | Epiosde: "Love and the End of the Line" |
1974 | Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers
|
Mike Moran | Episode: "Moran's the Man" |
1975-1978 | Saturday Night Live | Host / Himself | 2 episodes |
1977 | Visions | Rebbe | Episode: "A Secret Space" |
1985 | George Burns Comedy Week | Jay Miller | Episode: "Death Benefits" |
1985 | The Twilight Zone | Bill Lowery | Episode: "Wordplay" |
1986 | Comedy Factory | Robert Morgan | Episode: "Father's Day" |
1988 | Family Ties | Roger Erdman | Episode: "The Boys Next Door" |
1989 | Murder, She Wrote | Barney Drake | Episode: "Trevor Hudson's Legacy" |
1989 | Trying Times | Buddy Amber | Episode: "A Good Life" |
1990 | Midnight Caller | Ryder | Episode: "Ryder on the Storm" |
1993 | Law & Order | Rick Mason | Episode: "Sweeps" |
1993 | Frasier | Gary | Voice; Episode: "The Crucible" |
1996 | Grace Under Fire | Fred Mullens / Ron | 2 episodes |
1996 | Sisters | Albert Barker | 25 episodes |
1997 | Duckman | Uncle Mo Dorkin | 2 episodes |
1998 | Monty Python Live at Aspen | Himself (host) | Television special |
1998 | Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist | Robert | Episode: "Old Man" |
1999 | Mad About You | Stan Freitus | Episode: "Farmer Buchman" |
1999 | Cosby | Jack | Episode: "A Very Nice Dance" |
1999 | The King of Queens | Bruce Degner | Episode: "Sparing Carrie" |
2001 | Oz | Robert Klein | Episode: "Conversions" |
2001 | Bob Patterson | Landau | 6 episodes |
2004 | The Stones | Stan Stone | 7 episodes |
2008 | Life on Mars | Elliott Casso | Episode: "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows" |
2008-2010 | Heartland | Dwayne Trent | 2 episodes |
2009-2012 | Law and Order: SVU
|
Dwight Stannich | 4 epsides |
2013 | Royal Pains | Bert | Episode: "Hammertime" |
2013-2014 | The Good Wife | Lyle Pollard | 2 episodes |
2014 | Madam Secretary | Amb. Lester Clark | Episode: "Blame Canada" |
2014 | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | Himself | Episode: "Opera Pimp" |
2014 | Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley | Self | Documentary |
2014-2016 | The Mysteries of Laura | Leo Diamond | 5 episodes |
2014 | Sharknado 2: The Second One | The Mayor | Television movie |
2015 | Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! | Mayor of New York | Television movie |
2015 | The Seventies | Self | Episode: "Television Gets Real" |
2016 | Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg" | Self | Starz Documentary |
2018-2019 | Will & Grace | Martin Adler | 4 episodes |
2022 | George Carlin's American Dream | Self | HBO Documentary |
Source
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1966 | The Apple Tree | Ensemble / Guard | Shubert Theatre, Broadway | [41] |
1968 | Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1968 | Performer | Booth Theatre, Broadway | |
1979 | They're Playing Our Song | Vernon Gersh | Imperial Theatre, Broadway | |
1985 | The Robert Klein Show | Self | Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway | |
1986 | Robert Klein on Broadway | Nederlander Theatre, Broadway | ||
1988 | An Evening with Robert Klein | Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway | ||
1993 | The Sisters Rosensweig | Mervyn Kant | Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway |
Comedy specials
Year | Title | Studio | Formats | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1975 | On Location: An Evening with Robert Klein | HBO | Broadcast | [42] |
1977 | On Location: Robert Klein Revisited | HBO | Broadcast | |
1977 | Klein Time | CBS | Broadcast | |
1981 | The Robert Klein Show | NBC | Broadcast | |
1982 | On Location: Robert Klein at Yale | HBO | Broadcast | |
1984 | Child of the 50s, Man of the 80s | HBO | Broadcast/VHS | |
1986 | Robert Klein on Broadway | HBO | Broadcast/VHS | |
1995 | It All Started Here | HBO | Broadcast | |
2000 | Child in His 50s | HBO | Broadcast/DVD | |
2005 | The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue | HBO | Broadcast/Streaming/DVD | |
2007 | The HBO Specials 1975-2005 | Standing Room Only Entertainment | 4xDVD box set | |
2010 | Unfair and Unbalanced | HBO | Broadcast/Streaming/DVD | |
2016 | Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg (documentary) | Starz | Broadcast/Streaming |
Discography
Albums
Year | Title | Label | Formats | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | The Unauthorized Autobiography Of Howard Who? | Caedmon Records
|
LP | |
1973 | Child of the 50s | Brut Records | LP/8-track/cassette | [43] |
1974 | Mind Over Matter | Brut Records | LP/8-track/cassette | |
1975 | New Teeth | Epic Records | LP/cassette | |
1979 | Original Cast Recording - They're Playing Our Song | Casablanca Records | LP/cassette | |
1990 | Let's Not Make Love | Rhino Records
|
Cassette/CD |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1975 | Grammy Award |
Best Comedy Album | Child of the 50s | Nominated | [44] |
1976 | Mind Over Matter | Nominated | |||
1979 | Tony Award |
Best Actor in a Musical | They're Playing Our Song | Nominated | [41] |
1998 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | The Sisters Rosensweig | Nominated | |
1998 | Outer Critics Circle |
Outstanding Actor in a Play | Won | ||
2011 | Primetime Emmy Award |
Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics | Child in his 50s | Nominated | [45] |
2011 | Unfair and Unbalanced | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Artist - Robert Klein". Grammy Awards. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein Biography (1942–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2011-08-23.
- ^ "Robert Klein — Biography". Robertklein.com. Retrieved 2011-08-23.
- ^ Eskenazi, Joe (June 24, 2005). "Robert Klein chases skirts, washes tables". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ Bernstein, Jesse (May 26, 2019). "Comedian Robert Klein Cracks Wise Ahead of Bristol Riverside Theatre Shows". The Jewish Exponent. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ Starr, Michael (2017-03-30). "At 75, comic Robert Klein finds praise hard to handle". New York Post. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ Wasserstein, Wendy (June 20, 1999). "THEATER; A Place They'd Never Been: the Theater". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
DeWitt Clinton High School, named for the 19th-century New York mayor and governor, is the alma mater of the comedian Robert Klein, the designer Ralph Lauren, and the writers James Baldwin and Avery Corman.
- ^ "Robert Klein Biography". The Conversation Company, Ltd. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
- ^ Honeycutt, Kirk (February 11, 1979). "Robert Klein Tries On Neil Simon For Laugh". The New York Times. p. D8. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ "Robert Klein". The Second City. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "The HBO Specials That Changed Comedy". DirectTV. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
- ^ "Saturday Night Live: November 15 - Robert Klein". NBC. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ "Saturday Night Live: January 28 - Robert Klein". NBC. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
- ^ "Saturday Night Live: Tough Director". NBC. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
- ^ "Saturday Night Live: Nick The Lounge Singer Sings Star Wars Theme". NBC. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
- ^ "Saturday Night Live: The Olympia Restaurant — Cheeseburger, Chips and Pepsi". NBC. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
- ^ "Nominations - 1979". Tony Awards. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ "The Twilight Zone - Wordplay". IMDb. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- CBS DVD.
- ^ "Robert Klein Time". IMDb. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ Weber, Bruce (March 9, 1998). "Something Completely Nostalgic; A Monty Python Reunion, Minus One Slapstick Subversive". The New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ "Artist - Robert Klein". Grammy Awards. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Mind over Matter". Rateyourmusic. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-8991-9025-9. Retrieved 2019-02-28 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ "Six Clean Words You Can Say Anywhere". AllMusic. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein on Broadway". Youtube. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein - TCM". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein". TV Guide. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue". HBO.com. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein: The HBO Specials 1975-2005". Amazon. 25 September 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Debra Messing Delivers Powerful #MeToo Moment For 'Will & Grace'". Deadline Hollywood. 2 November 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Robert Klein". Guild Hall of East Hampton. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ Hatchett, Keisha (January 29, 2018). "Will & Grace Is Recasting Grace's Dad". TV Guide. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
- ISBN 978-1-4391-4436-7. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ Zeitchik, Steven (May 11, 2017). "Robert Klein returns to a late-night world that helped create him". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ Hinds, Julie (March 30, 2017). "New film gives Robert Klein his due as a comedy icon". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- ^ Patterson, Jordan W. (August 6, 2017). "Robert Klein Discusses Expansive Career In Comedy". The Post-Journal. Jamestown, New York. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
- The Associated Press. March 29, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein". TCM. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Robert Klein". Playbill. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein". Trakt.tv. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
- Discogs.com. Retrieved 2020-02-24.
- ^ "Artist: Robert Klein". Grammy Awards. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ "Robert Klein". Emmy Awards. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
External links
- Robert Klein at IMDb
- Robert Klein at the Internet Broadway Database
- Robert Klein at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Robert Klein Biography from aish.com