Wikipedia

The Improv

This article is about the American comedy club franchise. For the TV series, seeThe Improv (TV series).

The Improvis acomedy clubfranchise. It was founded as a single venue in theHell's Kitchenneighborhood ofNew York Cityin 1963, and expanded into a chain of venues in the late 1970s.

L.A. Improv onMelrose Avenuein Los Angeles
Irvine Improv

History

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Originally, it was a 50-seat single venue (which immediately prior, housed a Vietnamese restaurant[1]) founded on 20 April 1963,[2]byBudd Friedmanand his future wife, Silver (née Schreck[3]) Saundors,[4]and located at 358 West 44th Street,[2]at Ninth Avenue, in theHell's Kitchenneighborhood ofNew York Citynear the southeast corner of 9th Ave. The Improvisation was originally an after hourscoffee housewhereBroadwayperformers could unwind after shows with an open mic inviting impromptu musical performances. In 1964, Dave Astor was its first comedian.[5]Gradually comedians would use it as a venue to try out new material and talent scouts fromThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carsonand other New York-based television shows began frequenting the venue looking for new acts to book. After several years of alternating acts between singers and comics, by the 1970s it was a stand-up comedy venue.[6][7]A second location was opened in 1974 at 8162 Melrose Avenue in theFairfax DistrictofLos Angeles,California(which immediately prior housed theAsh Grove,afolk musicvenue). In 1979, Mark Lonow became a general partner and with Budd Friedman ran the Melrose club and oversaw the expansion of the single room as it became a successful chain. When the Friedmans divorced in 1981, the divorce settlement gave Budd Friedman ownership of the LA Improvs and Silver Friedman was given ownership of the New York Improv.[8][9]The original New York Improv closed in 1992.[10]

In 1982, the L.A. Improv became the original site for theA&E Networktelevision seriesAn Evening at the Improv,running from 1982 until 1996, and was produced by Larry O'Daly, created by O'Daly and Barbara Hosie-O'Daly, withBudd Friedmanas a warm-up host. Other locations have opened since then, such as inTampa, Florida,[11]Fort Lauderdale, Florida,[11]Atlantic City, New Jersey,[12]andLouisville, Kentucky.[11]In 2014, Friedman sold the Improv chain to Levity Entertainment Group,[13]now known as Levity Live.[14]

Performances

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The Improv was the place to seeRichard Pryor,Robert Klein,Steve Landesberg,Bette Midler,Lily Tomlin,Jay Leno,and others when they were just starting out.Dustin Hoffmanplayed piano there. On any given night in the later 1970s, one could seeGilbert Gottfried,Joe Piscopo,Bruce Mahler,Robin Williams,Larry David,and many others. Often famous comedians would walk in to "work out" before appearances onThe Tonight Show.It was not unusual to find celebrities in the audience.

Nearly every big name in comedy has played The Improv, includingRichard 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 BurnhamandRon White.[15][16]Jeremy Ruder at 18, andJim Carreyat 19.[citation needed]

Silver Friedman auditioned and rejectedEddie Murphy,a regular atThe Comic StripinNew 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 WingerandBarry 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'sDave Attellfrequents Improv locations in Tampa andHollywood.ComicsLewis Black,Mike Birbiglia,Louis C.K.andJimmy Fallonhave performed at the Improv in Louisville, Kentucky.[11]

Locations

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The following is a list of Improv locations as of May 2020:[11]

The following is a list of former Improv locations:[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"History of the Improv".Improv.Retrieved2023-11-17.
  2. ^ab Hevesi, Dennis (1992-03-19)."Improv, in Chapter 11 Protection, Is Still Joking".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2023-11-17.
  3. ^abRoberts, Sam (2022-12-09)."Silver Saundors Friedman, Who Helped Found the Improv, Dies at 89".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2023-11-17.
  4. ^"Ten Things We Learned from 'The Improv'".The Wall Street Journal.Retrieved19 April2022.
  5. ^"Budd Friedman, founder and owner of The Improv, has died at age 90".EW.com.Retrieved2023-11-17.
  6. ^ab"Improv Comedy Clubs".Improv.com.Retrieved5 October2015.
  7. ^"Editorial".Northeasttimes.com.Archived fromthe originalon 12 March 2007.Retrieved19 April2022.
  8. ^Rowe, Michael."It's A Funny Thing - How the Professional Comedy Business Made Me Fat & Bald".BearManor Media.Retrieved19 April2022– via Google Books.
  9. ^Nesteroff, Kliph (3 November 2015).The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of American Comedy.Open Road + Grove/Atlantic.ISBN9780802190864.Retrieved19 April2022– via Google Books.
  10. ^"The godfather of comedy looks back on a lifetime of laughs".AP news.com.21 April 2021.Retrieved19 April2022.
  11. ^abcde"Improv Comedy Clubs".Improv.com.Retrieved19 March2018.
  12. ^abcCharleston, Rita."Budd Friedman knows success"Archived2007-03-12 at theWayback Machine,Northeast Times,30 October 2003.
  13. ^"A Funny Thing Happened On Improv-Founder Budd Friedman's Way To Broadway".Investors.com.15 September 2017.Retrieved19 April2022.
  14. ^"Levity Entertainment Offers Groundbreaking Marketing Services for Comedy Clients".Stage Time.July 15, 2009.RetrievedAugust 12,2009.
  15. ^"Improv Comedians".Improv.com.Retrieved5 October2015.
  16. ^"Dave Foley at Hollywood Improv".Improv.com.
  17. ^"History".Improv.com Improv Comedy Clubs.Retrieved5 October2015.
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