Henny Youngman
Henny Youngman was one of the most famous stand-up comedians of post-vaudeville America. As a tribute to Youngman's rapid-fire style, columnist Walter Winchell dubbed him "the king of the one-liners". Youngman got his start as a violinist, and he often carried a violin on stage with him as a prop. Among his most famous lines were "I was so ugly when I was born, the doctor slapped my mother," and, of course: "Take my wife -- please!" The title of his 1991 autobiography was Take My Life, Please!

Henry "Henny" Youngmann was born March 16, 1906 in Liverpool England. His family moved to Brooklyn, New York, when he was young. He grew up in New York City and was encouraged by his family to learn the violin. He started in show business as an orchestra musician and led a small jazz band called the "Swanee Syncopaters". During the band's performances, Youngman often told jokes to the audience. One night, the regular comedian didn't show up so the club owner asked Youngman to fill in. He was a success and began a long career of stand-up, telling one-line jokes and polishing his act to razor sharpness. His generally inoffensive, friendly style of comedy kept his audiences in stitches for decades. His big break came on the Kate Smith radio show in 1937.

After an unsuccessful stab in the movies, he returned to the nightclub scene and worked steadily as a stand-up comedian performing as many as 200 shows a year. He recorded a "live" album in 1959 at the Celebrity Club in St. Louis. The album is still popular today on CD, and is a frequent iTunes download.

When the New York Telephone Company started its Dial-a-Joke line in 1974, over three million people called in one month to hear 30 seconds of Youngman's material—the most ever for a comedian.

Henny made numerous appearances on television, including a long-running stint on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. In 1955 he was host of a TV series titled The Henny and Rocky Show, appearing with champion boxer Rocky Graziano. He had cameo appearances in several movies, including History of the World, Part I and Goodfellas.

Youngman's last movie appearance was in the Daniel Robert Cohn film Eyes Beyond Seeing, in which he has a cameo as a mental patient claiming to be Henny Youngman.

Youngman never retired, and he performed his stage act in venues worldwide until his final days. As his fame passed into legendary status, he never considered himself aloof or above others, and he never refused to perform a show in a small venue or unknown club.

Youngman developed pneumonia and died on February 24, 1998, at the age of 91. He is buried at the Mount Carmel Cemetery in Glendale, New York, next to his wife Sadie.

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"One-Liners"