David Brenner Editorial Image

David Brenner performs in-concert at the Drury Lane East Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, in 1980. Brenner was a pioneer of observational comedy, and was a writer, author, and actor. Initially, he made his mark as a documentary filmmaker, even winning an Emmy. Not long after he branched into comedy, he appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” and over the years became a staple of the show, appearing as a guest and guest-host hundreds of times. The Philadelphia-raised Brenner died from cancer at his Manhattan residence at the age of 78 on March 15, 2014.