The classically American comedy of Larry Gelbart

By Jay Malarcher

Subjects: Comedians, united states, Criticism and interpretation, comedy, writing, Jewish, Gelbart, Larry -- Criticism and interpretation

Description: A biography of Larry Gelbart (1928-2009), legendary comedy writer of radio, film, television, and stage. In his nearly seventy years as a professional writer, he wrote for such radio shows as Duffy's Tavern and The Joan Davis Show; such television shows as Caesar's Hour and M*A*S*H (which he created); such films as Tootsie, Oh God!, Movie Movie and The Wrong Box; and such plays as Sly Fox, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Mastergate: A Play on Words, and City of Angels. The comedians he wrote for and writers he collaborated with include Bob Hope, Red Buttons, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Sid Caesar, Abe Burrows, Neil Simon, Carl Reiner, Mike Stewart, Selma Diamond, Ed Gardner, Patrice Munsell, Art Carney, Danny Kaye, Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott, Zero Mostel, Stephen Sondheim, Celeste Holm, Stanley Donen, Dustin Hoffman, George Burns, Mel Tolkin, Jack Benny, Marty Feldman, Barry Levinson, Bob Fosse, Arthur Penn, Burt Shevelove, and many others. Truly a writer's writer, his career moved seamlessly from medium to medium and never wanted for wit and humanity.