Lenny Bruce at airport, New York City
Photo by John Lindsay
Lenny Bruce was born 96 years ago today.
A comedian, social critic and satirist, Bruce was renowned for his open, free-style, dangerous and critical form of comedy which integrated politics, religion and sex.
His 1964 conviction in an obscenity trial was followed by a posthumous pardon, the first in New York state history.
His tumultuous private life marked by substance abuse, promiscuity — as well as his efforts to prevent his wife from working as a stripper — made him a compelling figure.
Bruce paved the way for future outspoken comedians, and his trial for obscenity, in which — after being forced into bankruptcy — he was eventually found not guilty is seen as a landmark trial for freedom of speech.
On August 3, 1966, Bruce was found dead in the bathroom of his Hollywood Hills home at 8825 W. Hollywood Blvd. The official photo, taken at the scene, showed Bruce lying naked on the floor, a syringe and burned bottle cap nearby, along with various other narcotics paraphernalia.
The official cause of death was "acute morphine poisoning caused by an accidental overdose." He was 40.
On December 23, 2003, 37 years after his death, New York Governor George Pataki granted Bruce a posthumous pardon for his obscenity conviction.
Bruce was the subject of the 1974 biographical film, Lenny, directed by Bob Fosse and starring Dustin Hoffman in an Academy Award-nominated Best Actor role. It was based on the Broadway stage play of the same name written by Julian Barry and starring Cliff Gorman in his 1972 Tony Award winning role.
The documentary, Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth, directed by Robert B. Weide and narrated by Robert De Niro, was released in 1998.
In 2004, Comedy Central listed Bruce at #3 on its list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All-Time, placing above Woody Allen and below George Carlin.
Here, Bruce performs “The Meaning of Obscenity”
Lenny Bruce on Southerners, Religion, Racism, Obscenity, Law, Police, Politics, 1966