One of the leading lights of stand-up comedy in the 1970s was New York-born monologist Robert Klein. Although often compared to scatological trailblazer Lenny Bruce, Klein perfected a gentler, more observational form of humor in the same vein as his contemporaries David Brenner and Woody Allen. After making his initial splash as a stage actor, Klein became the darling of the comedy club circuit after the 1973 release of his album Child of the Fifties. A series of one-man shows followed, which he eventually parlayed into a successful second career as a character actor. In the 1990s, Klein focused almost exclusively on ensemble performance, appearing on stage to positive reviews opposite Jane Alexander in Wendy Wasserstein's The Sisters Rosenzweig (1992), and on film for his old friend Mike Nichols in Primary Colors (1998).

Further Reading:

Berger, Phil. "The Comedy Class of '73." M. August, 1992.

"Robert Klein, Still Big Mensch on Campus." The Jewish Exponent.

June 4, 1998.