This is a partial list of New York Improv comedians and singers. In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s they performed regularly at the Improvisation Comedy Club. The Improv was founded by Budd Friedman and his then wife Silver Saundors Friedman in 1963, and was located at 358 West 44th Street, New York City, in an area known as Hell's Kitchen. *

Shelley Ackerman Shelley Ackerman (October 14, 1953 – February 27, 2020) was an American astrologer, writer, actress and singer. She was a frequent guest and commentator on radio and television news and entertainment shows. Biography Early life The daughter o ...

* Bobby Alto * Richard Belzer * Elayne Boosler * David Brenner *

Jimmy Brogan Jimmy Brogan (born September 18, 1948), sometimes credited as Jim Brogan, is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He has made numerous standup appearances on the talk show circuit including ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' a ...

* Ron Carey * Billy Crystal *

Rodney Dangerfield Rodney Dangerfield (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, his catchphrase "I don't get no resp ...

* Larry David * John DeBellis * Al Franken * Gilbert Gottfried * Allan Havey * Gabe Kaplan * Andy Kaufman * Michael Patrick King *

Robert Klein Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is an American stand-up comedian, singer, and actor. He is known for his appearances on stage and screen. He has released four standup comedy specials: ''A Child of the 50s'' (1973), ''Mind Over Matter'' (197 ...

Steve Landesberg Stephen Landesberg (November 23, 1936December 20, 2010) was an American actor and comedian known for his role as the erudite, unflappable police detective Arthur P. Dietrich on the ABC sitcom ''Barney Miller'', for which he was nominated for th ...

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...

Richard Lewis Richard, Rich, Richie, Rick, Ricky or Dick Lewis may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Richard Field Lewis Jr. (1907–1957), American radio network owner * Dick "Rocko" Lewis (Richard Henry Lewis III, 1908–1966), American entertainer * Rich ...

Lynne Lipton Lynne Lipton is an American film, stage, television and voice actress. She provided the voices of all female characters on the popular 1980s animated series '' ThunderCats'', until the second season, when Gerrianne Raphael joined the cast voic ...

Bruce Mahler Bruce Mahler (born September 12, 1950) is an American actor, producer, and writer. He is known for his role as Sgt. Fackler in the comedy films ''Police Academy'', and as Rabbi Glickman on the sitcom ''Seinfeld''. Biography Mahler was born on ...

* Ken Ober * Rick Overton *

Joe Piscopo Joseph Charles John Piscopo ( ; born June 17, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and conservative radio talk show host. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1980 to 1984, where he played a variety of recurring characters. His f ...

Freddie Prinze Frederick James Prinze Sr. (born Frederick Karl Pruetzel; June 22, 1954 – January 29, 1977) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Prinze was the star of the NBC-TV sitcom ''Chico and the Man'' from 1974 until his suicide in 1977. Prinze ...

* Richard Pryor * Rita Rudner *

Lenny Schultz Lenny Schultz (born December 13, 1933) is an American retired comedian who performed during the 1970s on television and at comedy clubs in New York City. His madcap style of improvisational comedy influenced other comedians such as Gallagher, C ...

* Ronnie Shakes *

Tim Thomerson Joseph Timothy "Tim" Thomerson (born April 8, 1946) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Jack Deth in the ''Trancers'' film series and for his work in numerous low-budget features and for his comedic television r ...

Liz Torres Elizabeth Larrieu Torres (born September 27, 1947) is an American actress, singer, and comedian. Torres is best known for her role as Mahalia Sanchez in the NBC comedy series ''The John Larroquette Show'' (1993–1996), for which she received two ...

Jimmie Walker James Carter Walker Jr. (born June 25, 1947) is an American actor and comedian. Walker portrayed James Evans Jr. ("J.J."), the older son of Florida and James Evans Sr., on the CBS television series ''Good Times'', which ran from 1974 to 1979, ...

Robert Wuhl Robert Wuhl (born October 9, 1951) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known as the creator and star of the television comedy series '' Arliss'' (1996–2002) and for his portrayal of newspaper reporter Alexander Knox in Tim Bu ...

Alan Zweibel Alan Zweibel (born May 20, 1950) is an American television writer, author, playwright, and screenwriter whom ''The'' ''New York Times'' says has “earned a place in the pantheon of American pop culture." An original ''Saturday Night Live'' ...

{{div col end

External links

History of the ImprovInterview with Chris Albrecht (pdf)The recollections of an Improv pianist
New York improv Improvisational theatre