Crowned as leading the new breed of modern comedians by Time magazine
in 1960, Mort Sahl is the first entertainer ever to appear on its
cover. Before comedy clubs existed, Sahl began performing at the hungry
i music club in San Francisco in the early 1950s. He differed from
other comedians, appearing in casual clothing rather than a suit,
skewering popular politicians such as Eisenhower, Joe McCarthy and JFK.
Sahl's approach is energetic, tangential, and deep and wide in both
social and political scopes, inspiring
Woody Allen,
George Carlin and countless other
comedians.
A 1955 performance with
Dave Brubeck was
recorded and released (without Sahl's permission), selling as Mort Sahl
At Sunset, and recently recognized by the Library of Congress as the
first stand-up comedy record album.
When JFK was assassinated in 1963, Sahl regularly targeted the
government's official Warren Commission Report during his routines,
resulting in the loss of much of Hollywood's support, while maintaining
audience popularity with college tours and a best-selling book,
Heartland.
Sahl is one of the longest, active, performing social satirists,
spanning 60 years and 11 presidents.
Max Rose(2013)as Jack Murphy
D.C. Follies(1987)as Mort Sahl
Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge(1987)as Interviewer
Nothing Lasts Forever(1984)as Uncle Mort
Inside the Third Reich(1982)as Werner Finck
The Last Movie Stars(2022)
Lenny Bruce: Without Tears(1972)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel(2017)
Live at Mister Kelly's(2021)as Self
Robin's Wish(2020)as Self
The Carson Podcast(2014)as Self - Guest
A1: The Long Road to Edinburgh(2018)as Self - Comedian
Dick Cavett: 50th Anniversary of the Dick Cavett Show (An SF Sketchfest Tribute)(2018)as Self
Ed Sullivan's Comedy Legends(2022)as Self
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy(2022)as Self
George Carlin's American Dream(2022)as Self
Arena(1975)as Self
Imagine(2003)as Self
