Budd Friedman, founder of comedy club The Improv, has died. Deadline confirmed his death with The Hollywood Improv. He was 90.
Friedman recently threw a party for his 90th birthdaye Birthday at Hollywood Improv. We heard there will be a tribute to him on the venue’s stage tonight.
In a statement to Deadline, The Improv said: “The comedy world lost a giant today. He wasn’t a stand-up comedian or a sitcom star or a movie legend. But he produced a generation of performers who defined American comedy and culture for decades.”
Friedman opened the Improv in New York City in 1963, shortly after leaving his job as an advertising executive to become a theater producer. The coffee house has attracted Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Albert Finney, Christopher Plummer and Jason Robard, among others. Little known Dustin Hoffman and Bette Midler also performed at the club at the time.
Following the success of the New York club, Friedman later opened one in LA in 1975.
Throughout his life, Friedman had a few acting credits such as in star 80 (1983), That’s enough (1989), man in the moon (1999), Mambo Cafe (2000), The Boneyard Collection (2008), funny people (2009) and Louie (2012) to name a few.
Following the news of his death, comedians such as Whitney Cummings shared their thoughts.
“RIP Budd Friedman, one of the great advocates of comedy and comedians. Just a monumental, incredible man. I will never stop performing at improv comedy clubs,” she tweeted.
There is more to come…
Writer: Armando Tinico, Dominic Patten
Source: Deadline
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
