Comedy Icon Shelley Berman Passes Away at the Age of 92

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Sad news today, as it was announced via an official Facebook fan page that legendary comedian Shelley Berman passed away early this morning due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 92. You can read that post here.

Berman, a Chicago native and early member of the city’s iconic Second City troupe, was a multi-talented man and a founding father of comedy who set precedents for the heights that the craft could reach. His career was full of firsts: His debut comedy album, Inside Shelley Berman, was the first non-musical record to win a Grammy award in the ceremony’s history, and he was the first comedian ever to perform at Carnegie Hall. He was a celebrated television and stage actor, having appeared in a wide variety of productions, from The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Bewitched to The Odd Couple and Fiddler on the Roof. Berman was also a prolific writer, having written numerous books, plays and TV scripts.

An entertainer all his life, Berman retired from the business in 2014, at the age of 89. Up until then, however, he was quite active, appearing in various roles in TV shows and films throughout the 2000’s, from Hawaii Five-0 to CSI: NY. In recent years, he was best known for his role as Nat David, father of Larry David’s character on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, a role which earned him an Emmy nomination in 2008.

The Facebook announcement stated that Berman seems to have passed away peacefully in his sleep. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Sarah, their daughter Rachel, and two grandkids.

In memoriam to their beloved alumni, the folks at The Second City released a video today of Berman performing at the theater’s 50th anniversary show back in 2009. You can check out that clip below:

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Bill Tressler

Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.
Bill Tressler
Bill Tressler
Bill is a writer and comedy enthusiast from New York. An avid gamer and podcast fan, he strives to always toe the line between charming irreverence and grating honesty.