David-Brenner-Obituary

David Brenner

1936 - 2014 (Age 78)

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AGE
78

Obituary

LOS ANGELES (AP) - David Brenner, the gangly, toothy-grinned "Tonight Show" favorite whose brand of observational comedy became a staple for other standup comedians, including Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Reiser, died Saturday. He was 78.

See Johnny Carson with Brenner and other guests in our slideshow

Brenner, who had been fighting cancer, died peacefully at his home in New York City with his family at his side, according to Jeff Abraham, his friend and publicist.

"David Brenner was a huge star when I met him and he took me under his wing. To me, historically, he was the godfather of hip, observational comedy," comedian Richard Lewis said in a statement. "He mentored me from day one. ... His passing leaves a hole in my life that can never be replaced."

The tall, thin and always sharply dressed Brenner became one of the most frequent visitors to Johnny Carson's "Tonight" in the 1970s and '80s.

His 150-plus appearances as guest and substitute host turned the former documentary filmmaker into a hot comedian, one who was ubiquitous on other talk shows and game shows.

He also briefly hosted his own syndicated talk show in 1987 and starred in four HBO specials.

Brenner moved with the times, trading routines about the humor of everyday life for jokes about social and political issues, and appearing on MSNBC and Fox News Channel cable programs.

Although his career faltered, he worked steadily through 2013 doing standup. A four-day gig last December included a New Year's Eve show at a Pennsylvania casino-resort in which he showcased young comedians.

Brenner, who was raised in working-class south Philadelphia and graduated with honors from Temple University, was "always there helping a bright young comedian, whether it be Richard Lewis, Freddie Prinze or Jimmie Walker, and he was still doing it until the very end," Abraham said.

In a statement, Walker called Brenner "a true comic genius" who was "my mentor and taught me about life and comedy."

Although Brenner took a brief stabs at TV fame, with the 1976 sitcom "Snip" and the talk show "Nightlife" he hosted in 1987, he didn't achieve the success of Seinfeld's self-titled NBC sitcom or Reiser's "Mad About You," and he saw Jay Leno follow Carson as "Tonight" host.

Brenner's take on his career path, as he described it in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press, was that he put family before stardom.

He said a long custody battle with a girlfriend over their son, Cole, forced him to curtail his TV appearances and visibility beginning in the mid-1980s, when Brenner lived in Aspen, Colo.

"In a nutshell, I couldn't work more than 50 nights a year (out of town) or I'd be an absentee father," he said. "That was when they were giving out the talk shows, the sitcoms."

He was asked if he regretted his decision.

"I didn't even make a decision. I didn't even think about it. How could you not do it? I don't mean to sound noble," Brenner said. "Besides, I come from the slums of Philadelphia and everything in my life is profit. My downside is what most people would strive a lifetime to get to."

Decades ago, he had burned out on filmmaking — "You don't change the world by doing documentaries," he told "CBS This Morning" in 2013 — and decided to give comedy a try. He was on the verge of quitting when his effort to impress talent bookers at "Tonight" worked.

His career soared after his first appearance in January 1971. He went from being nearly broke to overwhelmed by a then-hefty $10,000 in job offers the day after he was on the show.

"I never thought this was going to turn my life upside down and give me my whole future," he told "This Morning."

He also recalled how hard Carson made him work on "Tonight," asking Brenner to do a monologue each time he appeared. Other veteran comics headed straight for the couch to banter with the host.

Carson's explanation was "I like to sit back, smoke a cigarette and laugh for six minutes," Brenner recalled.

In a 1995 interview with the AP, Brenner imagined a different path with "Tonight."

"I really believe that had ... Johnny Carson retired in the early '80s, then I would be sitting behind that desk," he said. "I don't think there's any doubt."

Brenner wrote five books, including the post-9/11 "I Think There's a Terrorist in My Soup," published in 2003. His last HBO special, "David Brenner: Back with a Vengeance," debuted live in 2000.

In a statement, his family said he left a last laugh: A final request that $100 in small bills be placed in his left sock "just in case tipping is recommended where I'm going."

Besides son Cole, Brenner is survived by his wife, Ruth, sons Wyatt and Slade and a grandson, Wesley, according to a family statement.

To his knowledge, Abraham said, David Brenner wasn't married to Olympic skating champion Tai Babilonia, despite reports that she was his widow.

Funeral plans were not immediately announced.

---

LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer


Copyright © 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Guest Book

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From the first time I saw David Brenner, I knew it was a love affair he had with comedy. He made an appearance at one of the colleges in Albany, NY back in the late 70s & he was an immediate hit. Then, after I moved on to Philadelphia in the early 80s, I became acquainted with a couple of his books he had written. At the time, the love of my life was seriously injured in a pedestrian accident in 1984. It was not known then if he would survive. From April 1984 through September 1984, he...

I loved his comedy very much! It carried on in his book Pretzels with Mustard. My Mom & I both read it & thought we'd never stop laughing! Everything he said was so vivid that your mind really could "see" what he was talking about. One instance from the book still cracks me up, his Father "nailing" over cooked liver to shoe as new sole! Hilarious! Yes David, you are very sadly missed down here. But I'll bet you're keeping Heaven in stitches! RIP You Deserve It!...

David you were my favorite and always will be. God bless and may you rest in peace.

I'm so sorry to hear about David's passing. My 1st visit to las Vegas is when I met him he was the most kindness person ever to me REST In Peace dear friend

Rewatching the old Carson show and see David Brenner up and found he passed. So sad he was great entertainer.

AdThe memories and laughs still are coming and giving us all his special kind of making the worst grumpy person smile.
His memory and talent that never can be replaced will live on and on through the ages to come as one of the funniest , kindest persons anyone could ever listen to.
I know his family has so many more great memories of David that will be past on through his children and grand children to come. His eyes always had that sparkle that only comes through defining what a...

A great comedian who had his own style that could not be duplicated. I was a fan from the early days......THANKS FOR SHARING

Rest David, until you hear at dawn,
the low, clear reveille of God.

Thank you for your service to this nation.

Enjoy being in the home Jesus created for you my friend. See you in th heavenly home soon