Improv on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles

The Improv is a comedy club founded in 1963 in New York City. A second location was opened in 1974 at 8162 Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 594 pixelsFull resolution (1525 × 1133 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 594 pixelsFull resolution (1525 × 1133 pixel, file size: 1. ... The word comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humor with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... // This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... The Fairfax District is an area of neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles, California, that is roughly bordered by West Hollywood on the north, La Brea Avenue on the east, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills on the west and Wilshire Boulevard on the south. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Started by Budd Friedman, it was the place to see Richard Pryor, Robert Klein, Steve Landesberg, Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Jay Leno, and others when they were just starting out. Dustin Hoffman played piano there. Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American comedian, actor, and writer. ... Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is a Jewish-American stand-up comedian and occasional actor. ... Steve Landesberg (born 23 November 1945) is an United States actor, comedian and voice actor. ... Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known to her fans as The Divine Miss M. She is named after the actress Bette Davis although Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one. ... Lily Tomlin (born Mary Jean Tomlin on September 1, 1939), is an Academy Award-nominated American actress and comedian. ... James Douglas Muir Jay Leno (born April 28, 1950) is an Emmy-winning American comedian who is best known as the current host of NBC televisions long-running variety and talk program The Tonight Show. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

On any given night in the later 1970's, one could see Gilbert Gottfried, Joe Piscopo, Bruce Mahler, Steve Wishman, Mark Schiff, Larry David, and many others. Often famous comedians would walk in to "work out" before appearances on the Tonight Show. It was not unusual to find celebrities in the audience. Gilbert Gottfried (born February 28, 1955 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American stand-up comedian and actor noted for his grating voice, his Brooklyn accent and his tendency to shout. ... ... This article should belong in one or more categories. ... Mark Schiff (born in Bronx, New York City, New York) is a voice actor. ... Lawrence Gene Larry David (born July 2, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York) is an Emmy-winning actor, writer, comedian, producer and film director. ...

Nearly every big name in show business has played The Improv, including Milton Berle, Drew Carey, George Carlin, Chevy Chase, Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, Rodney Dangerfield, David Letterman, Steve Martin, Freddie Prinze, Joan Rivers, Jerry Seinfeld, and Lily Tomlin. Show business is a vernacular term for the business of entertainment. ... Milton Berle (July 12, 1908 - March 27, 2002) was an American comedian who was born Milton Berlinger according to his birth certificate. ... Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian and actor. ... George Dennis Carlin (born May 12, 1937 in New York, New York)[2] is a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, and author. ... Chevy Chase (born October 8, 1943) is an Emmy Award-winning American comedian, writer, and television and film actor. ... William Henry Bill Cosby, Jr. ... For the American political commentator, see William Kristol. ... Rodney Dangerfield (November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), born Jacob Cohen, was an American comedian and actor, best known for the catchphrase I dont get no respect and his monologues on that theme. ... David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA) is an award-winning American comedian, late night talk show host, television producer, philanthropist, and IRL IndyCar Series car owner. ... For the football player of the same name see Steve Martin (football player). ... Frederick Karl Pruetzel (22 June 1954 – 29 January 1977), better known as “Freddie Prinze” was an American stand-up comedian and actor. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lily Tomlin (born Mary Jean Tomlin on September 1, 1939), is an Academy Award-nominated American actress and comedian. ...

Even Liza Minnelli appeared at The Improv, and Jim Carrey bombed on his first appearance at the club. Liza May Minnelli (born March 12, 1946 in Los Angeles, California) is an Academy Award and Tony Award-winning American actress and singer. ... James Eugene Carrey (born January 17, 1962) is a two-time Golden Globe Award-winning Canadian-American A-list film actor and comedian. ...

New and upcoming performers such as Dane Cook and Pablo Francisco, and Sean Kent have performed there as well. Comedy Central's Dave Attell also frequents Improv locations in Tampa and Hollywood. Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972) is an American stand-up comedian, actor and musician. ... Pablo Ridson Francisco is an American stand-up comedian born in Tucson, Arizona now living in Los Angeles. ... Sean Kent (b. ... Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel in the United States. ... Dave Attell (born January 18, 1965) is a popular American stand-up comedian and host of Comedy Centrals Insomniac with Dave Attell. ...

Comedian Eddie Murphy was a regular at The Comic Strip in New York, but in California performed at the Improv when he was only 16 years old, Jeremy Ruder at 18, and Jim Carrey at 19. Edward Eddie Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961, Brooklyn, New York City[1]) is an Academy Award nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and comedian. ...

The Improv has a bar and a restaurant named "Hell's Kitchen" that features Italian entrees named for comedy stars, such as Billy Crystal's Gnocchi Alla Bolognese and Tim Allen's Eggplant Parmigiana. Actresses Karen Black and Debra Winger worked there as waitresses before getting their big breaks as movie stars. Black in Five Easy Pieces, 1970 Karen Black (born July 1, 1939) is an Oscar-nominated American actress, screenwriter, singer and songwriter. ... Debra Winger (born May 16, 1955) is an Academy Award- nominated American actress. ... A movie star or film star is a celebrity who is a person known for his or her roles in motion pictures. ...

References

• Improv website history
• Interview with Chris Albrecht
• article about Improv founder Budd Friedman