About Shelley Berman
Shelley Berman (February 3, 1925 - September 1, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, writer, teacher, and lecturer. Born in Chicago, he served in the Navy during World War II and trained as a drama student at Chicago's Goodman School of Drama. In the mid-1950s he became a member of Chicago's Compass Players, which evolved into The Second City, where he began developing solo pieces often employing an imaginary telephone. His debut album Inside Shelley Berman won the first Grammy Award for Best Comedy Performance - Spoken in 1959, and he was awarded four gold records for his comedy albums. On March 12, 1961, he became the first stand-up comedian to perform at Carnegie Hall. From 2002 to 2009 he appeared as Larry David's father on Curb Your Enthusiasm, earning an Emmy nomination in 2008, and he taught humor writing at the University of Southern California for more than 20 years.
Guest appearances (2)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Shelley Berman.
Guest appearances 1 to 2 of 2.
1:50WTF - Shelley Berman likes knives & doesn't like holding the mic.
Marc Maron
2K views
59:42Shelley Berman Interview Part I
Bill Kirchenbauer
479 viewsChannels on this page: Marc Maron, Bill Kirchenbauer
Frequently asked questions
What was Shelley Berman known for on stage?
Shelley Berman built solo pieces that often used an imaginary telephone, starting when he was a member of Chicago's Compass Players, the group that evolved into The Second City.
Did Shelley Berman win a Grammy?
Yes, his debut album Inside Shelley Berman won the first Grammy Award for Best Comedy Performance - Spoken in 1959, and his comedy albums brought him four gold records.
Was Shelley Berman the first comedian at Carnegie Hall?
On March 12, 1961, Shelley Berman became the first stand-up comedian to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Who did Shelley Berman play on Curb Your Enthusiasm?
From 2002 to 2009 he played Larry David's father on Curb Your Enthusiasm, and the part earned him an Emmy nomination in 2008.
Did Shelley Berman teach comedy writing?
Shelley Berman taught humor writing at the University of Southern California for more than 20 years.
Where was Shelley Berman from?
Shelley Berman (1925 to 2017) was born in Chicago, served in the Navy during World War II and trained as a drama student at Chicago's Goodman School of Drama.
