The Funniest One in the Room : The Lives and Legends of Del Close

Containing recollections from more than 80 of the comedic giant's closest friends and colleagues, this absorbing biography explores Del Close's old haunts, his sensational past, and the reality behind the tales he told so often. From traveling with a carnival and hanging out with a pre-Scientology L. Ron Hubbard to riding with the Merry Pranksters and using a coven of witches to help him kick a lifelong cocaine habit, Close led an incredibly rich life—one whose absurdity proved great fodder for improv theater. Astute and compassionate, Close influenced improvisational theater's greatest comedic talents of the last 50 years—Nichols and May, Lenny Bruce, Bill Murray, Chris Farley, Tina Fey—and coached the witty masterminds behind such comedic institutions as Second City, __Saturday Night Live__, Groundlings, and the Upright Citizen's Brigade.

Nichols and May. John Belushi. Bill Murray. Chris Farley. Tina Fey. Mike Myers. Stephen Colbert. For nearly a half century, Del Close—cocreator of the Harold, director for the Second City, San Francisco’s the Committee, and the ImprovOlympic, and “house metaphysician” for Saturday Night Live—influenced improvisational theater’s greatest comedic talents. His students went on to found the Groundlings in Los Angeles, the Upright Citizens Brigade in both New York and Los Angeles, and the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. But this Pied Piper of improv has gone largely unrecognized outside the close-knit comedy community.

Del was never one to let the truth of his life stand in the way of a good story—and yet the truth is even more fascinating than the fiction. In his early years, he traveled the country with Dr. Dracula’s Den of Living Nightmares, knew L. Ron Hubbard before Scientology, and appeared in The Blob. Del cavorted with the Merry Pranksters, used aversion therapy to recover from alcoholism, and kicked a cocaine habit with the help of a coven of witches. And when he was dying, Del bequeathed his postmortem skull to the Goodman Theatre for use in its productions of Hamlet—a final legend that lives on, long beyond the death of the father of long-form improvisation.

islandtheaterscene.honadvblogs.com

An excellent primer.

Nichols and May. John Belushi. Bill Murray. Chris Farley. Tina Fey. Mike Myers. Stephen Colbert. For nearly a half century, Del Closecocreator of the Harold, director for the Second City, San Franciscos the Committee, and the ImprovOlympic, and house metaphysician for Saturday Night Live influenced improvisational theaters greatest comedic talents. His students went on to found the Groundlings in Los Angeles, the Upright Citizens Brigade in both New York and Los Angeles, and the Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. But this Pied Piper of improv has gone largely unrecognized outside the close-knit comedy community. Del was never one to let the truth of his life stand in the way of a good storyand yet the truth is even more fascinating than the fiction. In his early years, he traveled the country with Dr. Draculas Den of Living Nightmares, knew L. Ron Hubbard before Scientology, and appeared in The Blob . Del cavorted with the Merry Pranksters, used aversion therapy to recover from alcoholism, and kicked a cocaine habit with the help of a coven of witches. And when he was dying, Del bequeathed his postmortem skull to the Goodman Theatre for use in its productions of Hamlet a final legend that lives on, long beyond the death of the father of long-form improvisation. Containing recollections from more than 80 of the comedic giant{u2019}s closest friends and colleagues, this absorbing biography explores Del Close's old haunts, his sensational past, and the reality behind the tales he told so often. From traveling with a carnival and hanging out with a pre-Scientology L. Ron Hubbard to riding with the Merry Pranksters and using a coven of witches to help him kick a lifelong cocaine habit, Close led an incredibly rich life#x97;one whose absurdity proved great fodder for improv theater. Astute and compassionate, Close influenced improvisational theater{u2019}s greatest comedic talents of the last 50 years#x97;Nichols and May, Lenny Bruce, Bill Murray, Chris Farley, Tina Fey#x97;and coached the witty masterminds behind such comedic institutions as Second City, Saturday Night Live, Groundlings, and the Upright Citizen{u2019}s Brigade "For nearly a half century, Del Close, co-creator of the Harol, director of the Second City, San Francisco's the Committee, and the ImprovOlympic, and " house metaphysican" for Saturday Night Live, influenced improvisational theater's greatest comic talents."--Cover