David Brenner Biography

David Norris Brenner was an American, comedian actor and author, who made a name for himself as pioneer of observational comedy. Born and raised in a poor neighborhood in Philadelphia, comedy became a major source of relief from the challenges he faced while growing up. After majoring in mass communication, he earned his first paying job at The Improv. Later he made his television debut on ‘The Tonight Show’ hosted by Johnny Carson and went on to become the most frequent guest on the show, with over 158 appearances, not including the times he was the guest host. He was a writer, director or producer of 115 television documentaries, winning many awards including an Emmy, before moving to comedy. He was over 30 and a successful writer, producer and director of documentary films when he began working in New York comedy clubs in the late 1960s. His cynical brand of observational humor made him a stand-up comedy star in the early 1970s and kept him in the public eye for more than four decades. He was one of the most successful comedians of his generation who created a unique place for himself in the world of showbiz and the hearts of millions.