Lenny Bruce
Lenny Bruce (Leonard Alfred Schneider) was born on October 13th, 1925. Lenny passed away August 3rd, 1966 at 40 years old. Lenny Bruce was born in Mineola, New York, USA.
Lenny Bruce was a stand up comedian, satirist, and social critic. Lenny was renowned for his free-wheeling, open, and critical style of comedy which combined religion, vulgarity, satire, politics, and sex. He forged some new paths in counterculture and comedy. His conviction in 1964 for obscenity was followed by a pardon in 2003 after his death.
Sally Marr (Lenny’s mom) was a dancer and stage performer that had a major influence on his career.
He joined the Navy at the age of 16 with active service during World War II aboard the USS Brooklyn in Northern Africa, Palermo. After a comedic performance in May of 1945 for his shipmates in which he dressed in drag, his commanding officers got upset.
He defiantly convinced his ship’s medical officer that he was experiencing homosexual urges, which led to his dishonorable discharge in July of 1945. But he had not admitted to or actually even been found guilty of any breach of naval regulations, and successfully applied to get his discharge to Under Honorable Conditions by reason of unsuitability for the naval service.
Lenny settled in New York City, with hopes of establishing himself as a comedian. But he found it tough to differentiate himself from the thousands of other show business hopefuls populating the city. One place they all congregated was at Hanson’s, this diner where Lenny met Joe Ancis. Joe went on to have a profound influence on Lenny’s approach to comedy. Many of his later routines reflected his meticulous schooling at Joe’s hands.
He took the stage as Lenny Marsalle this one night at the Victory Club as a stand in master of ceremonies at one of his mom’s shows. His ad-libs earned him a few laughs. Shortly afterward, right after changing his last name to Bruce, he earned a free spaghetti dinner and $12 for his first stand up performance in Brooklyn.
He ranked 3rd on
Rolling Stone magazine’s 2017 list of the 50 best stand up comics of all time, with just Richard Pryor and George Carlin ranking higher.
How to Talk Dirty and Influence People: An Autobiography is a brilliant existential account of his life and the forces which made him the most controversial and important entertainer in history.
Over the course of a career which started in the late 1940s, Lenny challenged the sanctity of organized religion and other political and societal conventions; he widened the boundaries of free speech.
Despite dying at 40, Lenny’s influence on the worlds of jazz, comedy, and satire are incalculable.
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Lenny Bruce: F.A.Q
When was Lenny Bruce Born?
Lenny Bruce was born on October 13th, 1925.
When did Lenny Bruce die?
Lenny Bruce died on August 3rd, 1966 at 40 years old.
Where was Lenny Bruce Born?
Lenny Bruce was born in Mineola, New York, USA.
What was the first book Lenny Bruce wrote?
The first book written by Lenny Bruce was How to Talk Dirty and Influence People, published in 1965.
What was the most recent book Lenny Bruce wrote?
His most recently released work was Shut Your Mouth & Open Your Mind on January 1st, 2000.
How many books has Lenny Bruce written?
Lenny Bruce has written 2 books excluding contributions to anthologies. All of his books are Non-Fiction Books.