Lenny Schultz Biography
Lenny Schultz is a retired American comedian who made appearances on television and at New York City comedy clubs in the 1970s. Schultz is best known for his films The House of God (1984), Ball Four (1976), and Wet Asphalt (1958).
Lenny Age
Lenny was born on 13 December 1933, in The Bronx, New York, United States of America. He is 90 years old as of December 2023.
Lenny Education
He attended college, getting a bachelor of science degree from New York University and a master of science degree in education from Hunter College.
Lenny Wife- Married
Lenny Career
At the age of eight, he began making other children laugh by making up sounds and noises. Schultz initially hoped to become a Major League Baseball pitcher, and at the age of 18, he was given a contract by the New York Yankees, a minor league team. A shoulder injury forced him to cancel his contract and end his athletic career. Instead, he went to college, earning a Bachelor of Science from New York University and a Master of Education from Hunter College. After serving in the U.S. Special Forces, he became a high school physical education teacher in 1955, teaching at schools such as John Adams High School and Newtown High School in New York City. As a teacher, his sense of humor was appreciated by students and teachers, but he was overlooked for his support of the arts. When a friend encouraged him to record a few minutes of his performance, he performed at an open-mic night at an improv show in New York City in 1969, and quickly gained popularity.
Four months later, he appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show”, which led to appearances on “The Night Show Starring Johnny Carson”, “The Ed Sullivan Show”, and many other programs. By the late 1970s, he had become a popular comedian on television and in theater clubs, particularly in the Catskill Mountains. His catchphrase was “Go crazy, Lenny!” and he encouraged audiences to yell at him for being ridiculous and comical in his shows. Schulz often added props to his performances, with the help of his wife Helen (Lenny had children with his first wife, Francine Ornstein. Unlike his television appearances, his stand-up routines often featured crude or adult humor.
During his acting career, he was still working as a high school gym teacher and was known to leave clubs at night. Schultz has said that principals and other teachers would ask for his autograph after seeing him on television the night before. Schultz is known among his fellow actors for his “no-nonsense attitude”. Schutz’s style of comedy is credited with influencing comedians such as Gallagher, Carrot Top, and Angel Salazar, and has been praised by comedians such as Brett Butler and David Letterman. Jon Stewart and Billy Crystal have said that he always gets standing ovations and “always kills”. In 1992, Schultz entered semi-retirement and moved with his wife to Sullivan County, New York. He currently lives in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
Lenny TV Shows
The Merv Griffin Show (1969, 1972)
The David Frost Show (1969–1971)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1970)
The Mike Douglas Show (1970)
The Ed Sullivan Show (1971)
Fol-de-Rol (TV Movie) (1972) Jack Spratt, Jester, Ensemble
The Dick Cavett Show (1973)
The All New Pink Panther Laugh-and-a-Half Hour-and-a-Half Show (1976)
The Late Summer Early Fall Bert Convy Show (TV Series) (1976)
Ball Four (TV Series) (1976)
The Great American Laugh-Off (1977)
Blansky’s Beauties (TV Series) (1977)
Laugh-In (TV Series) (1977)
How to Watch TV (public service announcements) (1980)
Drawing Power (TV Series) (1980)
The Comeback Trail (theatrical film) (1982)
Late Night with David Letterman (1982)
The House of God (theatrical film) (1984)
Make Me Laugh (1997)