http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Pointe/2765/KimHowardJohnson/khjdelcl.html
Del joined the Compass Players--the precursors to Second City--when he was 22 years old, largely because he was a friend of Severn Darden.
Between leaving the Compass and joining Second City, he began doing stand-up comedy, playing clubs and opening for acts like the Kingston Trio. During one memorable stint, Del, Bob Newhart and Lenny Bruce were all performing around Chicago at the same time, and this unlikely trio spent their off-stage time going to each others’ shows.
He used to dream for the U.S. government in the late ‘50s (and when he left it abruptly, got a letter from the government saying "You owe us two more dreams.").
Del was one of the founders of Second City, performing with folks like Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Barbara Harris and Joan Rivers in the early ‘60s, eventually leaving Chicago to do a stint with the Committee (and folks like Howard Hesseman) in San Francisco in the '60s. While on the West Coast, Del was a regular on My Mother the Car and had a recurring role on Get Smart. And in his spare time, he used to do light shows for the Grateful Dead.
He became the "House Metaphysician" at Saturday Night Live for two years (during "the Eddie Murphy era"), then came back to Chicago again in the early ‘80s and co-founded the Improv Olympic, where he taught folks like Mike Myers, Tim Meadows and Chris Farley.
He continued appearing in stage and in films throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, most notably the 1980s remake of The Blob, The Light of Day, and The Untouchables, where he played a corrupt alderman who tries to bribe Kevin Costner. Most recently, four of his students created The Upright Citizens’ Brigade for Comedy Central; Del provided voice-overs for the series, and cut a final voice clip for them by telephone the nigh before he died.
Del joined the Compass Players--the precursors to Second City--when he was 22 years old, largely because he was a friend of Severn Darden.
Between leaving the Compass and joining Second City, he began doing stand-up comedy, playing clubs and opening for acts like the Kingston Trio. During one memorable stint, Del, Bob Newhart and Lenny Bruce were all performing around Chicago at the same time, and this unlikely trio spent their off-stage time going to each others’ shows.
He used to dream for the U.S. government in the late ‘50s (and when he left it abruptly, got a letter from the government saying "You owe us two more dreams.").
Del was one of the founders of Second City, performing with folks like Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Barbara Harris and Joan Rivers in the early ‘60s, eventually leaving Chicago to do a stint with the Committee (and folks like Howard Hesseman) in San Francisco in the '60s. While on the West Coast, Del was a regular on My Mother the Car and had a recurring role on Get Smart. And in his spare time, he used to do light shows for the Grateful Dead.
He became the "House Metaphysician" at Saturday Night Live for two years (during "the Eddie Murphy era"), then came back to Chicago again in the early ‘80s and co-founded the Improv Olympic, where he taught folks like Mike Myers, Tim Meadows and Chris Farley.
He continued appearing in stage and in films throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, most notably the 1980s remake of The Blob, The Light of Day, and The Untouchables, where he played a corrupt alderman who tries to bribe Kevin Costner. Most recently, four of his students created The Upright Citizens’ Brigade for Comedy Central; Del provided voice-overs for the series, and cut a final voice clip for them by telephone the nigh before he died.
posted by Mabreg at 8:31 AM
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