Shelley Berman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shelley Berman
Berman in the 1960s
Born	Sheldon Leonard Berman (1925-02-03)February 3, 1925 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 1, 2017(2017-09-01) (aged 92) Bell Canyon, California, U.S.
Resting place	Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery
Education	Art Institute of Chicago (BFA)
Occupation	Comedian actor writer teacher lecturer
Years active	1954–2014
Spouse(s)	Sarah Herman ​ (m. 1947)​
Children	2
Comedy career
Medium	Stand-up, film, television
Genres	Observational comedy

Sheldon Leonard Berman (February 3, 1925 – September 1, 2017) was a famous American comedian, actor, writer, and teacher. He was known for his unique style of comedy.

Shelley Berman won many awards for his comedy. He received three gold records. He also won the very first Grammy Award for a comedy recording in 1959. Later in his career, he became well-known for playing Larry David's father on the TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm. This role earned him an Emmy Award nomination in 2008. For over 20 years, Berman also taught people how to write humor at the University of Southern California.

Shelley Berman's Early Life and Learning

Shelley Berman was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Irene and Nathan Berman. He was from a Jewish family and had a younger brother named Ronald.

During World War II, he served in the Navy. After the war, he went to the Art Institute of Chicago. He studied drama at the Goodman School of Drama. This school is now part of DePaul University. There, he met Sarah Herman, another student. They got married in 1947.

Berman started his acting career in Woodstock, Illinois. In 1949, he and Sarah moved to New York City. He continued to study acting at the HB Studio. To earn money, he worked many different jobs. He was a cab driver, a dance teacher, and even helped manage a drug store. Eventually, he started writing comedy sketches for The Steve Allen Plymouth Show.

Shelley Berman's Amazing Career

Starting Out in Comedy

Shelley Berman first trained as a serious actor. He performed in plays around Chicago and New York City. In the mid-1950s, he joined a comedy group in Chicago called the Compass Players. This group later became The Second City. While performing with them, Berman started creating his own comedy acts. He often pretended to talk on an imaginary telephone. This became his special comedy style.

Live Shows and Recordings

In 1957, Berman became a comedian at Mister Kelly's in Chicago. This led to more shows in nightclubs. He also signed a contract with Verve Records to make comedy albums. His albums were very popular. They earned him three gold records. He also won the first-ever Grammy Award for a spoken comedy recording.

Shelley Berman appeared on many TV shows and specials. He performed in Broadway plays like A Family Affair and The Odd Couple. He also acted in famous musicals such as Fiddler on the Roof and Guys & Dolls. His voice even inspired the cartoon character Fibber Fox from Hanna-Barbera.

Shelley Berman on Television

Berman had many roles on television. He appeared in an episode of Rawhide in 1962. He was also a regular guest on the game show What's My Line in the 1960s.

He acted in both funny and serious TV shows. These included The Twilight Zone, Bewitched, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Friends. He also appeared on Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, and Hannah Montana. From 2002 to 2009, he played Nat David, Larry David's father, on Curb Your Enthusiasm. This role was very popular and earned him an Emmy nomination.

Shelley Berman's Film Roles

Shelley Berman also acted in many movies. Some of his films include The Best Man (1964) and Divorce American Style (1967). He was in Meet the Fockers (2004) with Robert De Niro. He also appeared in The Holiday (2006) and You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) with Adam Sandler.

Later Career and Teaching

For more than 20 years, Shelley Berman taught humor writing. He was a lecturer at the University of Southern California. He also taught for the Improv Olympics program, which focuses on improv comedy.

Shelley Berman's Personal Life

Shelley Berman married Sarah Herman on April 19, 1947. They met while studying acting in Chicago. In the mid-1960s, they adopted two children, Joshua and Rachel. Sadly, their son Joshua passed away at age 12 in 1977.

Shelley and Sarah Berman were very supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund. This group helps people in the movie and TV industries who need support. In the 1980s, Shelley Berman was chosen as an honorary mayor for Canoga Park, California.

A Discussion About Comedy Styles

In a 2012 interview, Shelley Berman talked about his unique telephone comedy style. He mentioned that another comedian, Bob Newhart, also used a similar style. Berman felt that his special technique was copied. He said he heard from someone that a comedian had "stolen" his act. He believed it was done for the other comedian to succeed.

Shelley Berman's Passing

Shelley Berman passed away on September 1, 2017. He was 92 years old. He died from problems related to Alzheimer's disease at his home in Bell Canyon, California. His collection of work was given to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York.

Other comedians shared their thoughts after his death. Steve Martin thanked Berman on Twitter for "changing modern stand-up [comedy]". Marc Maron also tweeted that Berman "inspired me to sit. Great comic."

Shelley Berman's Works

Film

Television

Theatre

Selected Discography

• Inside Shelley Berman (1959)
• Outside Shelley Berman (1959)
• The Edge of Shelley Berman (1960)
• A Personal Appearance (1961)
• New Sides (1963)
• Let Me Tell You a Funny Story (1965)
• Live Again! Recorded at the Improv (1995)
• To Laughter with Questions (2013)
• When Jews Were Funny (2013)

Awards and Nominations