American comedian, actor, and author David Norris Brenner, a Philadelphia native, became a true television icon. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he was famously the most frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, where he helped popularize a new style of stand-up as a pioneer of observational comedy.
According to the “Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time” list, David Brenner ranked 53rd. He also wrote five books, worked in radio, and appeared in HBO specials, television series, and feature films. Learn more about the life and work of this talented comedian and actor from Philadelphia on philadelphiaski.
Early Life and Education
David Norris Brenner was born on February 4, 1936, in Philadelphia. His father, Louis, was a comedian, dancer, and singer known by the stage name Lou Murphy. However, Louis’s own father, a rabbi, objected to his son working on the Sabbath. Ultimately, Louis gave up his film contracts. His son inherited his talent.
As for David, he graduated from a local high school and then served in the U.S. Army. After completing his service, he enrolled at Temple University, where he graduated with honors.
Career: Comedian, Actor, Host, and Director
Before transitioning to comedy, David Brenner wrote scripts and directed television documentaries. He worked for Westinghouse Broadcasting and Metromedia, earning over 30 awards, including a prestigious Emmy.
Brenner’s first comedy performance took place in 1969. It was a success, and he began performing in clubs. In 1983, he released his own comedy album, “Excuse Me, Are You Reading That Paper?” on the MCA Records label.
Parallel to his stand-up activities, David Brenner made his national television debut in 1971. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In total, he was invited to the show 158 times. In 1976, the actor starred in the series Snip. It was set in a hair salon and featured one of television’s first openly gay characters. At the time, such characters were not yet shown on television. The project was quickly canceled over fears of public backlash.
In 1986, Brenner was offered his own late-night radio show, Nightlife, on King World Entertainment. It premiered on September 8, 1986. David tried to compete with Carson, but this approach did not bring him success. The project lasted only one season.
Instead, the comedian was frequently invited to appear on popular shows of the era, such as The Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The David Frost Show, Late Night with David Letterman, The Mike Douglas Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Daily Show, The Howard Stern Show, and others.
In feature films, Brenner had a role in the 1989 romantic comedy Worth Winning. He also created his own workout video titled “I Hate to Work Out.”
In the 1990s, David Brenner returned to radio, hosting a daytime show on the Mutual Broadcasting System. In 1984, he was named Man of the Year by the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2003.
In addition to his active stage and acting work, David Brenner wrote the following books:
- Soft Pretzels with Mustard (1983)
- Revenge is the Best Exercise (1984)
- Nobody Ever Sees You Eat Tuna Fish (1986)
- If God Wanted Us to Travel… (1990)
- I Think There’s a Terrorist in My Soup: How to Survive Personal and World Problems with Laughter—Seriously (2003)
His last book was also released as an audiobook.
Personal Life: David Brenner’s Wives and Children
David Brenner was married twice. Little is known about his first wife. The couple had a son, Cole, but they soon divorced and engaged in a long custody battle for their child. The actor won the court case in 1992. To do so, he had to significantly reduce his number of comedy performances and show appearances. The court would not have ruled in his favor if he had been away from home for more than 50 nights a year.
The famous comedian’s second wife was Elizabeth Slater. The couple had two sons, Slade and Wyatt. However, this marriage also ended quickly in divorce. In an interview, David Brenner said that the first year of his life with Elizabeth made him the happiest man in the world. After that period, his wife changed and became a different person, someone he could no longer live with. This time, Brenner also fought for custody of his children and won the court case.
In 2005, the actor got engaged to figure skater Tai Babilonia, but the couple never married.
Throughout the 2000s, David Brenner lived primarily in Las Vegas. After achieving fame and fortune, he always supported his parents financially and regularly sent them on cruises for vacations.
The famous comedian and actor died on March 15, 2014, from pancreatic cancer. It happened at his home in Manhattan. Brenner was 78 years old.