David Brenner Net Worth 2024

What Was David Brenner’s Net Worth?

David Brenner was an American comedian, writer, actor, director, and producer who had a net worth of $4 million on the time of his loss of life in 2014. David Brenner starred in 4 HBO stand-up comedy specials, together with 2000’s “David Brenner: Back with a Vengeance!” (which he additionally produced), and he launched the comedy albums “Excuse Me, Are You Reading That Paper?” (1983) and “Leave ‘Em Laughing” (2009). Before going into comedy, Brenner wrote, produced, or directed greater than 100 tv documentaries, profitable an Emmy for his work. David made his TV debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” in 1971 and went on to turn out to be the late evening discuss present’s most frequent visitor, with greater than 150 appearances.

As an actor, Brenner appeared within the movies “Worth Winning” (1989) and “Chickboxin’ Underground” (1999) and guest-starred on “Arli$$” (2001) and “Modern Family” (2010). He was ranked #53 on Comedy Central’s 2004 checklist of the “100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.” David printed his first e-book, “Soft Pretzels With Mustard,” in 1983, and he adopted it with 1984’s “Revenge is the Best Exercise,” 1986’s “Nobody Ever Sees You Eat Tuna Fish,” 1990’s “If God Wanted Us to Travel…,” and 2003’s “I Think There’s a Terrorist in My Soup: How to Survive Personal and World Problems with Laughter—Seriously.” Brenner was additionally a radio host, and he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. Sadly, David died of pancreatic most cancers on March 15, 2014, on the age of 78.

Early Life

David Brenner was born David Norris Brenner on February 4, 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. David’s mother and father had been Jewish, and his father, Louis, adopted the stage identify Lou Murphy for his profession as a vaudeville comedian, dancer, and singer. Louis gave up his profession to please his father, a rabbi who did not need him to work on the Sabbath. After Brenner discovered success, he usually despatched his mother and father on cruises, and so they each ended up dying on the Queen Elizabeth 2, two years aside. In highschool, David was voted “Class Comedian” and was elected class president yearly. After commencement, he served within the U.S. Army for 2 years, working as a cryptographer for the 595th Signal Corps in Germany. After he was discharged, Brenner majored in mass communication at Temple University, graduating with honors.

Career

David started his profession writing, producing, or directing 115 TV documentaries, and he was the pinnacle of the documentary models at Metromedia and Westinghouse Broadcasting. He received greater than two dozen awards for his documentary work, together with an Emmy. His first paid comedy gig occurred at The Improv in mid-1969, then he started performing steadily at Greenwich Village golf equipment. Brenner was probably the most frequent visitor on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and he served as a guest-host on the present 75 occasions. He additionally appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Dean Martin Comedy World,” “American Bandstand,” “The Midnight Special,” “The Merv Griffin Show,” “The Arsenio Hall Show,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” “Late Show with David Letterman,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and “Comics Unleashed.” In 1983, David launched his debut comedy album, “Excuse Me, Are You Reading That Paper?” and his first e-book, “Soft Pretzels With Mustard.”

In 1976, Brenner was solid within the lead function on the NBC sitcom “Snip,” which was impressed by the 1975 comedy movie “Shampoo.” The community shelved the collection earlier than it ever aired as a result of executives had been nervous about how individuals would react to one of many supporting characters being homosexual. David later mentioned of the present’s demise, “They made up all types of excuses, however the cause ‘Snip’ was pulled is we had an actor who was homosexual and who performed a homosexual half. They had been afraid to have a homosexual on tv.” In 1986, Brenner hosted “Nightlife,” a syndicated late-night discuss present that lasted one season. From 1994 to 1996, he was the host of a daytime talk-radio present on the Mutual Broadcasting System. David had beforehand hosted the 1985 syndicated weekly radio program “David Brenner Live.” In 1984, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia honored Brenner as their Person of the Year, and he was inducted into the group’s Hall of Fame in 2003. David performed himself in a 2001 episode of HBO’s “Arli$$” and a 2010 episode of ABC ‘s “Modern Family, and he appeared within the documentaries “When Stand-Up Comics Ruled the World” (2004), “The Aristocrats” (2005), and “When Jews Were Funny” (2013).

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Personal Life

David was married to Geraldine Leno from June 1964 to December 1967. He had a son, Cole, with Charisse Brody within the ’80s, and he and Charisse had been embroiled in a custody battle for years, with Brenner profitable custody in 1992. Since he would’ve been thought-about an absentee father by family courts if he spent over 50 nights a 12 months away from house, David decreased the variety of comedy reveals he took half in. Brenner wed Elizabeth Slater through the filming of his “Back with a Vengeance!” HBO particular on February 19, 2000. Before getting married, they welcomed sons Slade (born 1995) and Wyatt (born 1998) collectively, and their 2003 divorce led to 2 custody battles, which David received. Brenner turned engaged to Tai Babilonia in 2005, however they cut up up earlier than making it to the altar. David married Ruth Davey on March 7, 2011, and so they remained collectively till Brenner’s loss of life in March 2014.

Death

On March 15, 2014, David handed away from pancreatic most cancers on the age of 78 at his Manhattan house. “Page Six” reported on Brenner’s final will and testomony, stating that it learn, “All I need is a small stone on the grave web site with these phrases; ‘Here lies David Brenner. He lived, he died, however MAN DID HE LIVE!'” David additionally wrote, “On the flip facet I need ‘If that is purported to be a joke — I do not get it.'”

Brenner left $500,000 to clothier Kenneth Cole (an in depth buddy) and every part else to his youngsters. He additionally mentioned that he needed to be laid to relaxation in New York City “as a result of that is town of my desires, my finest occasions, my coronary heart and my life.” Of the funeral, Brenner acknowledged, “I give my full permission to any comedians who might consider a humorous line whereas on the funeral to make use of it in his act, for I understand how troublesome it’s to put in writing good materials. However, if any comedians are overheard doing any of my traces on the funeral, they’re to be put within the field with me.”