The Improv
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2009) |
The Improv is a comedy club franchise. It was founded as a single venue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City in 1963, and expanded into a chain of venues in the late 1970s.
History
Originally, it was a 50-seat single venue (which immediately prior, housed a Vietnamese restaurant
In 1982, the L.A. Improv became the original site for the
Performances
The Improv was the place to see Richard Pryor, Robert Klein, Steve Landesberg, Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Jay Leno, and others when they were just starting out. Dustin Hoffman played piano there. On any given night in the later 1970s, one could see Gilbert Gottfried, Joe Piscopo, Bruce Mahler, Robin Williams, Larry David, and many others. Often famous comedians would walk in to "work out" before appearances on The Tonight Show. It was not unusual to find celebrities in the audience.
Nearly every big name in comedy has played The Improv, including Richard Belzer, Milton Berle, Kevin Brennan, Drew Carey, George Carlin, Andrew Dice Clay, Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, Rodney Dangerfield, Jeff Dunham, Bill Engvall, Dave Foley, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Hicks, Andy Kaufman, Carol Leifer, David Letterman, Richard Lewis, Jon Lovett, Norm Macdonald, Bill Maher, Marc Maron, Steve Martin, Dennis Miller, Larry Miller, Liza Minnelli, Freddie Prinze, Ray Romano, Paul Reiser, Joan Rivers, Joe Rogan, Jerry Seinfeld, Bo Burnham and Ron White.[15][16] Jeremy Ruder at 18, and Jim Carrey at 19.[citation needed]
Silver Friedman auditioned and rejected Eddie Murphy a regular at The Comic Strip in New York City, for being "too vulgar",[3] and he eventually performed at the Improv in Los Angeles, when he was only 15 years old ,[citation needed]
Karen Black, Debra Winger and Barry Manilow, among others, worked there as waiters, waitresses, hosts or musicians before becoming famous.[17]
New and upcoming performers have performed there as well. Comedy Central's Dave Attell frequents Improv locations in Tampa and Hollywood. Comics Lewis Black, Mike Birbiglia, Louis C.K. and Jimmy Fallon have performed at the Improv in Louisville, Kentucky.[11]
Locations
The following is a list of Improv locations as of May 2020[update]:[11]
- Addison, Texas (Dallas area)
- Arlington, Texas
- Brea, California
- Brookfield, Wisconsin (Milwaukee area)
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Denver, Colorado
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Hollywood, California
- Houston, Texas
- Irvine, California
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Miami, Florida
- West Nyack, New York
- Ontario, California
- Orlando, Florida
- Oxnard, California
- West Palm Beach, Florida
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- San Jose, California
- Schaumburg, Illinois (Chicago area)
- Stateline, Nevada (south shore of Lake Tahoe)
- Tampa, Florida
- Tempe, Arizona
- Washington, D.C.
The following is a list of former Improv locations:[6]
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlantic City, New Jersey[12]
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Louisville, Kentucky[12]
- New York City, New York
- Reno, Nevada
- San Diego, California
- San Francisco, California
- Seattle, Washington
- London, England
See also
References
- ^ "History of the Improv". Improv. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
- ^ a b
Hevesi, Dennis (1992-03-19). "Improv, in Chapter 11 Protection, Is Still Joking". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
- ^ "Ten Things We Leared from 'The Improv'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "Budd Friedman, founder and owner of The Improv, has died at age 90". EW.com. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
- ^ a b "Improv Comedy Clubs". Improv.com. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Editorial". Northeasttimes.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ Rowe, Michael. "It's A Funny Thing - How the Professional Comedy Business Made Me Fat & Bald". BearManor Media. Retrieved 19 April 2022 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780802190864. Retrieved 19 April 2022 – via Google Books.
- ^ "The godfather of comedy looks back on a lifetime of laughs". AP news .com. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Improv Comedy Clubs". Improv.com. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ a b c Charleston, Rita. "Budd Friedman knows success" Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, Northeast Times, 30 October 2003.
- ^ "A Funny Thing Happened On Improv-Founder Budd Friedman's Way To Broadway". Investors.com. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "Levity Entertainment Offers Groundbreaking Marketing Services for Comedy Clients". Stage Time. July 15, 2009. Retrieved August 12, 2009.
- ^ "Improv Comedians". Improv.com. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Dave Foley at Hollywood Improv". Improv.com.
- ^ "History". Improv.com Improv Comedy Clubs. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
External links
- Budd Friedman and Tripp Whetsell collection, ACC-MSS 020, shelf: Digital. Emerson College Archives and Special Collections.
- Interview with Chris Albrecht