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Bob Einstein

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Bob Einstein
Einstein smiling
Einstein in the unsold television pilot "Three for Tahiti", 1970
Born
Stewart Robert Einstein

(1942-11-20)November 20, 1942
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedJanuary 2, 2019(2019-01-02) (aged 76)
Indian Wells, California, U.S.
Alma materChapman University[1]
Occupation(s)Actor, comedy writer, producer
Years active1967–2017
Parent(s)Harry Einstein
Thelma Leeds
RelativesAlbert Brooks (brother)
Charles Einstein (half-brother)
Websitewww.bobeinstein.com

Stewart Robert Einstein (November 20, 1942 – January 2, 2019) was an American actor, comedy writer and producer. He created and performed the satirical stuntman character Super Dave Osborne, played Marty Funkhouser in Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Larry Middleman on Arrested Development.

Einstein got his start as a writer on several television variety shows, including The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Einstein won two Emmy Awards as a writer and was nominated four other times. He also won a CableACE Award for acting as Super Dave, along with five other nominations.

Einstein was the son of radio comedian Harry Einstein, and the older brother of fellow actor and comedian Albert Brooks.

Background

Einstein was born in 1942 in Los Angeles, to a Jewish family.[2] His parents were the comic Harry Einstein, best known for playing the character Parkyakarkus on radio and in the movies, and the actress-singer Thelma Leeds. On October 24, 1949 at the age of six, it was reported in the LA Times that he had contracted polio. Fears that it was the paralytic type of polio appear to have been unfounded. His younger brother is comedian and writer Albert Brooks (born Albert Lawrence Einstein), and his older brother, Cliff Einstein, is a retired advertising executive in Los Angeles.[citation needed] He was a 1965 graduate of Chapman College.[1]

Career

Einstein got his start writing for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour for which he won an Emmy Award. The writing team also included Steve Martin and Murray Roman.[3] He also appeared on the show as Officer Judy. In 1977 he won an Emmy for outstanding comedy-variety series for his work on Van Dyke and Company.[4]

Super Dave Osborne

Main article: Super Dave Osborne

Einstein created the goofy stuntman Super Dave Osborne character for a variety show hosted by John Byner. The character later became a regular on the 1980 television series Bizarre, also hosted by Byner, and was a frequent guest on Late Night with David Letterman. On Late Night, besides showing clips of his ill-fated stunts, Super Dave would often tell long semi-crude jokes, usually "written" by someone else. In 1987, Einstein got his own variety show named Super Dave, which ran from 1987 to 1991 on the Global Television Network in Canada (where the show was produced at the network's Toronto studio) and Showtime in the United States. In 1992, an animated series Super Dave: Daredevil for Hire aired on Fox. Einstein later extended the "Super Dave" franchise by starring in the 2000 movie The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave.

On the November 12, 2009, airing of TNA Impact!, he was the booker[5] and host of the night. He made Super Dave's Spike Tacular, a four-episode sketch series on Spike TV reprising his Super Dave character, once again engaging in outrageous stunts.

Other roles

Einstein had recurring roles as Marty Funkhouser in Curb Your Enthusiasm and Larry Middleman in the third season of Arrested Development. He was also featured on the Comedy Central show Crank Yankers as obnoxious district selectman Tony Deloge. Einstein was also on The Man Show where he did Century Club with Adam and Jimmy. In Ocean's Thirteen he played Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon)'s father, Robert "Bobby" Caldwell, a master robber and con artist whose day job is an FBI agent.

Einstein appeared on the second season of Anger Management as Charlie Goodson's very angry neighbor, and his character in the show instantly got an unflattering nickname based on a feminine hygiene product.

Einstein voiced two characters from The Life & Times of Tim, playing the Elephant Trainer in Tim & the Elephant in the second season, and the bookie in Pray for the Jets in the third.[6][7]

Einstein was the first comedian to appear twice on Jerry Seinfeld's Web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.[8]

In the 2010s, Einstein was a frequent guest on the popular sports talk radio program The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. Einstein called in as a "Celebrity Prognosticator" to give his thoughts on sports and various other topics.

Death

Einstein died on January 2, 2019, at the age of 76, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.[9] Curb Your Enthusiasm series creator and star Larry David said in a statement: “Never have I seen an actor enjoy a role the way Bob did playing ‘Marty Funkhouser’ on Curb. It was an amazing, unforgettable experience knowing and working with him. There was no one like him, as he told us again and again. We’re all in a state of shock.”[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1972 Get to Know Your Rabbit Police Officer
1972 Another Nice Mess Agent Nussbaum
1981 Modern Romance Sporting Goods Salesman
2000 The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave Super Dave Osborne
2002 Teddy Bears' Picnic Dom Molinari
2007 Ocean's Thirteen Robert "Bobby" Caldwell
2010 Shit Year Rick
2015 Strange Magic Stuff Voice

Television

As Super Dave

Year Title Notes
1972 The John Byner Comedy Hour First appearance as Super Dave
1976 Van Dyke and Company Episode #1.6
1977 The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour Producer
1980– 1985 Bizarre 1981-1985
1989 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Episode: "Super Dave/Park Overall/Mark Schiff"
1980 Late Night with David Letterman Recurring guest
1987–1991 Super Dave Also writer
1992 Super Dave: Daredevil for Hire Television Special
1993 In Living Color
1994–1995 WWE Monday Night RAW Television Special
1995 Super Dave's Vegas Spectacular Television Special
1997 Super Dave's All Stars Television Special
1998–2004 Hollywood Squares Recurring guest
2003 The Man Show Episode: "Jimmy Asks Women 'What Do You Weigh?'"
2009 Super Dave's Spike-Tacular Episode: "Mr. Big Meeting"
2009 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien November 11, 2009
2009 TNA Impact!

Other Roles

Year Title Role Notes
1967–1969 The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Officer Judy 9 episodes
1970 Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour Various Roles 8 episodes
1971 The Steve Allen Show Himself August 31, 1971
1971 Tom Smothers' Organic Prime Time Space Ride Himself 5 episodes
1973 The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour Himself Episode #4.1
1975 The Smothers Brothers Show Himself 4 episodes
1971-1991 The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson Himself - Guest 10 episodes
1988-1991 Late Night with David Letterman Himself 9 episodes
1993-1995 Late Show with David Letterman Himself 5 episodes
1997 Roseanne Howard Morton Episode: "The Truth Be Told"
1999 The Norm Show Al Episode: "Norm Pimps Wiener Dog"
2002–2003 Crank Yankers Tony DeLoge/Bob Carlman 8 episodes
2003-2007 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Himself - Guest - co-Host 22 episodes
2005–2006 Arrested Development Larry Middleman 5 episodes
2008 Welcome to the Captain Mickey Tittle Episode: Mr. Big Meeting
2009 The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien Himself Episode: Jessica Biel/Bob Einstein/John Fogerty
2011 Conan Himself Ep: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish
Oh, God, My Whole Life Has Been a Horrible Lie
2010–2012 The Life & Times of Tim Elephant Trainer / The Bookie 2 episodes
2013 Anger Management Hoffler Episode: "Charlie and Lacey Piss Off the Neighborhood"
2013 Norm Macdonald Live Himself 2 episodes
2015 Comedy Bang! Bang! Harvey Wrinkleman Episode: Karen Gillan Wears a Black
and White Striped Pullover and Coral Skirt
2012–2017 Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Himself 2 episodes
2004–2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm Marty Funkhouser 22 episodes

Awards and Nominations

Primetime Emmy Awards

Year Category Project Result Ref.
1969 Best Writing for a Variety Series The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Won [11]
1972 Best Writing Achievement in Variety or Music The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour Nominated
1974 Best Writing in Variety or Music Nominated
1976 Best Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special Van Dyke and Company Nominated
1977 Best Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series Nominated
Outstanding Variety or Music Series Won

References

  1. ^ a b Bob Einstein's death notice on Chapman University Athletics' Instagram account. Retrieved January 9, 2019
  2. ^ "Bob Einstein's website biography page". Archived from the original on 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
  3. ^ The Forgotten Murray Roman WFMU's Beware of the Blog.
  4. ^ Sandomir, Richard (January 2, 2019). "Bob Einstein, a.k.a. Super Dave Osborne and Larry David Pal, Dies at 76". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "TNA iMPACT! Wrestling" TNA iMPACT! #281 (TV Episode 2009) - IMDb, retrieved 2021-01-16
  6. ^ IMDb entry for Nagging Blonde/Tim and the Elephant
  7. ^ IMDb entry for The Well Dressed Snitch/Pray for the Jets
  8. ^ "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee". Archived from the original on 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2017-02-16.
  9. ^ Pedersen, Erik (January 2, 2019). "Bob Einstein Dies: 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Actor Who Created Super Dave Osborne Character Was 76". Deadline. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  10. ^ "Bob Einstein Remembered by 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Castmates: "Excruciatingly Brilliant"". 2 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Bob Einstein".
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