Klein, Robert 1942–

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KLEIN, Robert 1942–

(Bob Klein)

PERSONAL

Born February 8, 1942, in the Bronx, New York, NY; son of Benjamin and Frieda (maiden name, Moskowitz) Klein; married Brenda Boozer (an opera singer; some sources cite name as Brenda Boozler), April 29, 1973 (divorced, 1989); children: Alexander Stuart. Education: Alfred University, B.A., political science and history, 1962; attended Yale University, 1962–63.

Addresses: Agent—Brian Stern, William Morris Agency, One William Morris Place, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. Manager—Rory Rosegarten, The Conversation Company, 1044 Northern Blvd., Suite 304, Roslyn, NY 11576.

Career: Comedian, actor, writer, director, and singer. Performer with the singing group the Teen Tones; member of Second City Theatrical Company, Chicago, IL, 1965–66; comedian at resorts, cabarets, nightclubs, and other venues throughout the United States, including the Bitter End and Cafe Wha?, New York City, and clubs in Los Angeles; also performed as a stand-up comedian in concert performances. Appeared in advertisements. Worked as a substitute teacher, Mount Vernon, NY.

Member: Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, American Guild of Variety Artists, Writers Guild of America.

Awards, Honors: Grammy Award nominations, best comedy album, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, 1973, for Child of the Fifties, and 1974, for Mind over Matter; Los Angeles Drama Critics Award, outstanding lead performance, 1978, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actor in a musical, both 1979, for They're Playing Our Song; honorary D.H.L. degree, Alfred University, 1980; Obie Award, Village Voice, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding featured actor in a play, 1993, all for The Sisters Rosensweig; Emmy Award nomination (with Bob Stein), outstanding music and lyrics, 2001, for "Colonoscopy," from the television special Child in His 50s; named one of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time, Comedy Central, 2004; inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame; some sources cite CableACE Award nominations for Robert Klein Time.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Series:

Host, Comedy Tonight, CBS, 1970.

The Comedy Zone, CBS, 1984.

"Our man in New York," TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, NBC, beginning c. 1984.

Host, Robert Klein Time, USA Network, c. 1986–88.

Host, Dead Comics Society, Comedy Central, beginning c. 1991.

Host, Stand-Up Stand-Up, Comedy Central, beginning c. 1991.

Host, Arts & Entertainment Revue (also known as A & E Magazine), Arts and Entertainment, 1991–92.

Host, Stand-Up/Sit Down Comedy, E! Entertainment Television, beginning 1992.

Albert "Big Al" Barker (some sources cite original surname of Barkewitz), Sisters, NBC, 1993–96.

Landau, Bob Patterson, ABC, 2001.

Stan Stone, The Stones, CBS, 2004.

Host of New Joke City (also known as New Joke City with Host Robert Klein), The Metro Channel (New York City).

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

(In archive footage) Himself, Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, Comedy Central, 2004.

Television Appearances; Movies:

The Possessed, NBC, 1977.

Nick, Your Place … or Mine?, CBS, 1983.

Alan Harper, This Wife for Hire, ABC, 1985.

Big Irv Klopper, Poison Ivy, NBC, 1985.

Jonah, Wanderer, 1994.

Dad and Mel, Goosed, The Movie Channel, 2000.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Host, That Was the Year That Was, NBC, 1976.

Good Old Days (also known as Dick Clark's "Good Old Days"), NBC, 1977.

Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope's All-Star Birthday Party, NBC, 1979.

All Commercials: A Steve Martin Special (also known as Steve Martin: All Commercials), NBC, 1980.

Host, The Robert Klein Show, NBC, 1981.

Himself, The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell, PBS, 1982.

Night of 100 Stars (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), ABC, 1982.

Robert Klein at Yale, 1982.

Georges Chavinet, Pajama Tops, Showtime, 1983.

Bill Andrews, "Summer Switch," ABC Afterschool Special, ABC, 1984.

(In archive footage) Himself, The Great Standups (also known as The Great Standups: Sixty Years of Laughter), 1984.

Table Settings, HBO, 1984.

The Second City 25th Anniversary Special, HBO, 1985.

Host, Falstaff, Arts and Entertainment, 1986.

Host, "Robert Klein on Broadway," On Location, HBO, 1986.

Narrator, Paddington's Birthday Bonanza (animated), HBO, 1986.

Carnegie Hall: The Grand Reopening, CBS, 1987.

Humor and the Presidency, HBO, 1987.

Host, "An All-Star Toast to the Improv," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1988.

Host, Baseball's All-Star Comedy Classics '88, syndicated, 1988.

(In archive footage; uncredited) Olympia customer, Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary, NBC, 1989.

Command Performance: An All-Star Salute to the President (also known as An All-Star Salute to Ford's Theatre), ABC, 1989.

"Montreal International Comedy Festival," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1989.

Woodstock: Return to the Planet of the '60s, CBS, 1989.

Narrator, "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" (animated musical; also known as "Mike Mulligan and His Steamshovel"), HBO Storybook Musicals, HBO, 1990.

Comic Relief IV, HBO, 1990.

Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars III), NBC, 1990.

"The World of Jewish Humor," Great Performances, PBS, 1990.

Making Sense of the Sixties, PBS, 1991.

Comic Relief V, HBO, 1992.

Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys, The Disney Channel, 1992.

Why Bother Voting?, PBS, 1992.

But … Seriously, Showtime, 1994.

Hal Roach: Hollywood's King of Laughter, The Disney Channel, 1994.

Host, "Robert Klein: It All Started Here," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1995.

(In archive footage) Himself, 20 Years of Comedy on HBO, HBO, 1995.

A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman, NBC, 1995.

Comic Relief VII, HBO, 1995.

Host, D. C. Follies, American Movie Classics, 1996.

(In archive footage) Himself, Classic Stand-Up Comedy of Television, NBC, 1996.

Catch a Rising Star 50th Anniversary—Give or Take 26 Years, CBS, 1996.

New Passages (also known as Gail Sheehy's "New Passages"), ABC, 1996.

Moderator, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival Tribute to Monty Python (also known as Monty Python's Flying Circus: Live at Aspen), HBO, 1998.

Himself, "The Funeral," Jerry Seinfeld: "I'm Telling You for the Last Time," HBO, 1998.

Himself, Barry Levinson on the Future in the 20th Century: Yesterday's Tomorrows (also known as The 20th Century: Yesterday's Tomorrows), Showtime, 1999.

Himself, Norman Jewison on Comedy in the 20th Century: Funny Is Money, Showtime, 1999.

(In archive footage) Himself, Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary (also known as Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Primetime Special), NBC, 1999.

Himself, Child in His 50s (also known as Robert Klein: Child in His 50s), HBO, 2000.

The Great American History Quiz: Pursuit of Happiness, History Channel, 2000.

Himself, Laugh Out Loud: TV's 15 Greatest Comedians, Arts and Entertainment, 2002.

Uncensored Comedy: That's Not Funny!, Trio, 2003.

Himself, When Stand-Up Comics Ruled the World, VH1, 2004.

Funny Already: A History of Jewish Comedy, Channel 4 (England), 2004.

Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue, HBO, 2005.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Jesse James, "Showdown with Rance McGrew," The Twilight Zone, CBS, 1962.

The Ed Sullivan Show (also known as Toast of the Town and You're the Top), CBS, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971.

Guest, The Dick Cavett Show, ABC, 1970.

Guest, The Flip Wilson Show, NBC, 1970, 1971.

Guest and guest host, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, multiple appearances, between 1970 and 1987.

Guest, The Mike Douglas Show, syndicated, 1972, 1976.

"Love and the End of the Line," Love, American Style, ABC, 1973.

Guest, Dinah!, syndicated, 1975, 1976.

Host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1975, 1978.

Rebbe, "A Secret Space," Visions, PBS, 1977.

"Latka, the Playboy," Taxi, ABC, 1981.

Bill Lowery, "Wordplay," The Twilight Zone, CBS, 1985.

George Burns Comedy Week, CBS, 1985.

Roger Erdman, "The Boys Next Door," Family Ties, NBC, 1988.

Roger Erdman, "Sign of the Times," Family Ties, NBC, 1988.

Barney Drake, "Trevor Hudson's Legacy," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1989.

Buddy Amber, "A Good Life" (also known as "L/S/M/F/T"), Trying Times, PBS, 1989.

"Ryder on the Storm," Midnight Caller, NBC, 1990.

Rick Mason, "Sweeps," Law & Order, NBC, 1993.

Voice of guest caller Gary, "The Crucible," Frasier (also known as Dr. Frasier Crane), NBC, 1993.

Stephen, Phenom, ABC, 1993.

Guest, The Late Show with David Letterman (also known as The Late Show), CBS, 1993, 2005.

Fred Mullens, "Positively Hateful," Grace under Fire (also known as Grace under Pressure), ABC, 1996.

Fred Mullens and Ron, "Mr. Mullens' Opus," Grace under Fire (also known as Grace under Pressure), ABC, 1996.

Guest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996.

Voice of Uncle Mo Dorkin, "Love! Anger! Kvetching!," Duckman (animated; also known as Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man), USA Network, 1997.

Voice of the ghost of Uncle Mo Dorkin, "Hamlet 2: This Time It's Personal," Duckman (animated; also known as Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man), USA Network, 1997.

Himself, "Rodney Dangerfield: Respect at Last," Biography (also known as A & E Biography: Rodney Dangerfield), Arts and Entertainment, 1998.

Stan Freidus, "Farmer Buchman," Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1998.

Himself, Intimate Portrait: Brett Butler, Lifetime, 1998.

Voice of himself, "Old Man," Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist (animated), Comedy Central, 1998.

Bruce Degner, "Sparing Carrie," The King of Queens, CBS, 1999.

Jack, "A Very Nice Dance," Cosby, CBS, 1999.

Himself, "George Carlin: More Than 7 Words," Biography (also known as A & E Biography: George Carlin), Arts and Entertainment, 2000.

Himself, Intimate Portrait: Madeline Kahn, Lifetime, 2000.

Himself, Intimate Portrait: Swoosie Kurtz, Lifetime, 2000.

Himself, "Conversions," Oz, HBO, 2001.

Himself, "Big Brother-in-Law," Yes, Dear, CBS, 2003.

Himself, "Peter Boyle," Biography (also known as A & E Biography: Peter Boyle), Arts and Entertainment, 2003.

Guest, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, CBS, 2004.

Guest, The View, ABC, 2004.

Guest, Hannity & Colmes, Fox News, 2004, 2005.

Julius Edelman, "Friends with Benefits," Jack & Bobby, The WB, 2005.

Guest, CenterStage, 2005.

Guest, The Early Show, CBS, 2005.

Guest, Larry King Live, Cable News Network, 2005.

Participant, Celebrity Charades, American Movie Classics, 2005.

Appeared as Dr. Whitman in an episode of Dellaventura, CBS; as a guest, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC; as a guest, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC; as a guest, The Uncle Floyd Show, syndicated, PBS, and other networks; appeared with the Teen Tones, Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour (also known as Original Amateur Hour and Ted Mack & the Original Amateur Hour), DuMont, NBC, ABC, and CBS; also appeared in A Taste for Travel.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Host, Klein Time, CBS, 1977.

Robert Morgan, Father's Day, ABC, 1986.

Robert Klein Time, USA Network, c. 1986.

Narrator, Brain Games, HBO, 1993.

Hugh Hamilton, Clarissa (also known as Clarissa Now), CBS, 1995.

Lenny, From Where I Sit, CBS, 2000.

Landau, Bob Patterson, ABC, 2001.

Stan Stone, The Stones, CBS, 2004.

Television Executive Producer; Series:

Robert Klein Time, USA Network, c. 1986–88.

Television Executive Producer; Specials:

"Robert Klein on Broadway," On Location, HBO, 1986.

"Robert Klein: It All Started Here," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1995.

(And director) Child in His 50s (also known as Robert Klein: Child in His 50s), HBO, 2000.

Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue, HBO, 2005.

Film Appearances:

Barney, The Owl and the Pussycat, Columbia, 1970.

(As Bob Klein) Peter Coots, The Landlord, United Artists, 1970.

Melvin Lasher, The Pursuit of Happiness, Columbia, 1971.

Peter, Rivals (also known as Deadly Rivals), Avco-Embassy, 1972.

Le gitan (also known as The Gypsy and Lo zingaro), 1975.

Lezsin, Comme un boomerang (also known as Boomerang, Like a Boomerang, and Il figlio del gangster), 1976.

Roger Deal, Hooper, Warner Bros., 1978.

Lenny, The Bell Jar, Avco-Embassy, 1979.

Walter, Nobody's Perfekt, Columbia, 1981.

Voice of the butterfly, The Last Unicorn (animated; also known as Das Detzte Einhorn), Jensen-Farley Pictures/Sunn Classic Pictures, 1982.

Bam Bam, Dangerous Curves, Alimar Productions/Lightning Pictures, 1988.

A Secret Space, 1988.

Wyatt, "Lover's Vow," Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, Paramount, 1990.

Father writer, Radioland Murders, Universal, 1994.

Mr. Lobel, Mixed Nuts (also known as Lifesavers), TriStar, 1994.

Skip Winkley, Jeffrey, Orion Classics, 1995.

Dr. Martin, One Fine Day, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1996.

Arty Lesser, Next Stop Wonderland, Miramax, 1998.

Jackson, The Contract, Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment, 1998.

Norman Asher, Primary Colors (also known as Perfect Couple and Mit aller Macht), Universal, 1998.

Tom Cranston, Suits, Taurus Entertainment, 1999.

David Raymond, Labor Pains, USA Home Video, 2000.

Doctor, Pinero, Miramax, 2001.

Howard Gold, The Safety of Objects, 2001, IFC Films, 2003.

Dr. Mort Zalkind, I'm with Lucy (also known as Autour de Lucy), Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2002.

Larry Kelson, Two Weeks Notice, Warner Bros., 2002.

Comedian (documentary), Miramax, 2002.

Dr. Sandy Napier, People I Know (also known as Der innere Kreis and Im inneren Kreis), Miramax, 2003.

Phillip Warren, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (also known as Wie werde ich ihn los—in 10 Tagen?), Paramount, 2003.

Himself, Bitter Jester (documentary), Anchor Bay Entertainment, 2004.

Sy, Ira and Abby, Breakout Pictures, 2006.

Stage Appearances:

20,000 Frozen Grenadiers, Second City Theatrical Company, Square East Theatre, New York City, 1966.

Guard, Mr. Fallible, and member of ensemble, The Apple Tree (musical), Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1966–67.

Junior, Morning, [and] Asher, Noon, [and] a man, Night (triple-bill; also known as Morning, Noon and Night), Henry Miller's Theatre, New York City, 1968.

New Faces of 1968 (revue; also known as Leonard Sillman's "New Faces of 1968"), Booth Theatre, New York City, 1968.

Annual Robert Klein Reunion, Carnegie Hall, New York City, beginning in 1973.

Vernon Gersch, They're Playing Our Song (musical), produced in the Los Angeles area, beginning c. 1978, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1979.

Night of 100 Stars (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982.

The Robert Klein Show!, Circle in the Square, New York City, 1985–86.

Robert Klein on Broadway, Nederlander Theatre, New York City, 1986.

An Evening with Robert Klein (solo show), Circle in the Square, 1988.

Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars III), Radio City Music Hall, 1990.

Mervyn Kant, The Sisters Rosensweig, Lincoln Center Theater, Ethel Barrymore Theater, New York City, 1993–94.

The Exonerated, 45 Bleecker, New York City, 2002–2004.

Appeared in the off-Broadway productions Second City Returns, Six Characters in Search of an Author, and Upstairs at the Downstairs.

Stage Producer:

Women Beware Women, Playhouse 91, New York City, 1987.

Radio Appearances; Series:

Host, The Robert Klein Radio Show, syndicated internationally, c. 1979–81.

Radio Appearances; Episodic:

Himself, A Prairie Home Companion (also known as A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor), National Public Radio, 1996.

Appeared in other radio productions.

RECORDINGS

Comedy Albums:

Child of the Fifties, Rhino, 1973.

Mind over Matter, Rhino, 1974.

New Teeth, Epic, 1975.

Let's Not Make Love, Rhino, 1992.

Cast Albums:

They're Playing Our Song, PolyGram, 1979.

Videos:

Robert Klein: Child of the '50s, Man of the '80s, Thorne/EMI-HBO, 1984.

(In archive footage) Himself, The Best of John Belushi, Warner Home Video, 1985.

Tax Attack, 1987.

Audio Recordings; Other:

(Narrator of compact discs included with book) Sheldon Patinkin, The Second City: Backstage at the World's Greatest Comedy Theater, Sourcebooks, 2000.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; Series:

Robert Klein Time, USA Network, c. 1986–88.

Teleplays; Specials:

The Robert Klein Show, NBC, 1981.

"Robert Klein on Broadway," On Location, HBO, 1986.

"An All-Star Toast to the Improv," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1988.

Child in His 50s (also known as Robert Klein: Child in His 50s), HBO, 2000.

Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue (based on his book The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue: A Child of the Fifties Looks Back), HBO, 2005.

Some sources cite Klein as the author of "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" (animated musical; also known as "Mike Mulligan and His Steamshovel"), a work based on the book by Virginia Lee Burton and broadcast on HBO Storybook Musicals, HBO, 1990.