David Brenner
Writers

David Brenner Net Worth

David Brenner was a pioneering stand-up comedian, actor, and author who was born and raised in a poor neighborhood in Philadelphia. After majoring in mass communication, he earned his first paying job at The Improv and made his television debut on ‘The Tonight Show’ hosted by Johnny Carson. He went on to become the most frequent guest on the show, with over 158 appearances. He was a writer, director, or producer of 115 television documentaries, winning many awards including an Emmy, before moving to comedy. He was over 30 when he began working in New York comedy clubs in the late 1960s and his cynical brand of observational humor made him a stand-up comedy star in the early 1970s. He was one of the most successful comedians of his generation and created a unique place for himself in the world of showbiz and the hearts of millions.
David Brenner is a member of Writers

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Stand-up Comedian, Actor
Birth Day February 04, 1936
Birth Place Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, United States
Age 84 YEARS OLD
Died On March 15, 2014(2014-03-15) (aged 78)\nManhattan, New York, United States
Birth Sign Pisces
Birth name David Norris Brenner
Medium Stand-up, television
Alma mater Temple University
Genres Observational comedy, self-deprecation, topical comedy
Spouse Elizabeth Slater (2000–2001; divorced; 2 children, 1 stepson) Ruth (2011–2014; his death)
Partner(s) Charisse Brody (1980–1983) Tai Babilonia (2002–2009)

💰 Net worth: $400,000 (2024)

David Brenner, a renowned stand-up comedian and actor in the United States, is estimated to have a net worth of $400,000 in 2024. Throughout his successful career in the entertainment industry, Brenner showcased his comedic skills on various stages, television shows, and films. Known for his witty jokes and observational humor, he established himself as a prominent figure in stand-up comedy. In addition to his stand-up routines, Brenner also ventured into acting, displaying his versatility and comedic timing. With a significant net worth, Brenner's impressive contributions to the world of comedy have undoubtedly left a lasting legacy.

Biography/Timeline

1936

Brenner was born to Jewish parents in 1936 and raised in poor areas of South and West Philadelphia. His Father, Louis, was a vaudeville Comedian, singer and Dancer performing under the stage name of Lou Murphy, who gave up his career and a film contract, to please Brenner's grandfather, a rabbi, who objected to his working on the Sabbath. Once he became successful, Brenner regularly sent his parents on cruises, and both of Brenner's parents would eventually die at advanced ages while on cruises aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2, approximately two years apart.

1969

Brenner was a Writer, Director or Producer of 115 television documentaries and headed the documentary units of Westinghouse Broadcasting and Metromedia, winning nearly 30 awards including an Emmy, before moving to comedy. His first paid gig was at The Improv in June 1969, and following that he frequently performed at clubs in Greenwich Village. After making his national television debut in 1971, on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, he became the show's most frequent guest, with 158 appearances. He guest-hosted for Johnny Carson 75 times between 1975 and 1984, placing him fifth on the list of Carson's most frequent guest hosts. Brenner was ranked No. 53 on Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time. At one point, he had appeared more often on major TV talk shows than any other entertainer. He also wrote five books, and starred in four HBO Specials.

1976

Brenner was the star of the 1976 TV series Snip (alternative title: Flip), which was inspired by the film Shampoo and set in a hair dressing salon. The situation comedy was cancelled by NBC before it aired due to its inclusion in the supporting cast of what would have been one of the first gay characters in an American situation comedy. He also played a charity ball auctioneer in the 1989 romantic comedy Worth Winning (with Mark Harmon, Madeleine Stowe, and Lesley Ann Warren, who was also Brenner's co-star on Snip).

1983

Brenner released the comedy album Excuse Me, Are You Reading That Paper? on MCA Records in 1983 (The title arose from a gag wherein a fellow Passenger on a subway asked Brenner if he was reading a newspaper on which he was sitting. The punch line was Brenner saying he was, standing up, turning a page, and sitting down again.) Brenner also penned five books including Soft Pretzels With Mustard (1983), Revenge is the Best Exercise (1984), Nobody Ever Sees You Eat Tuna Fish (1986), If God Wanted Us to Travel... (1990), and I Think There's a Terrorist in My Soup: How to Survive Personal and World Problems with Laughter—Seriously (2003) which was also released as two audiobooks.

1984

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia named Brenner their Person of the Year in 1984 and inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2003. From 1994 to 1996, Brenner hosted a talk-radio program, taking over the timeslot of the long-running Larry King Show on the Mutual Broadcasting System. He had earlier hosted a syndicated weekly radio show, David Brenner Live, for three months in 1985.

1986

In 1986, King World Entertainment gave Brenner his own 30-minute syndicated late-night talk show, Nightlife, in an attempt to compete with Carson, but it was cancelled after one season. The show premiered September 8, 1986, on 102 stations and was touted as "alternative". Filmed in Manhattan and featuring a casually dressed Brenner, it was unique among the late night talk genre for not having a monologue. It gave some comedians, such as Bobby Slayton, their national television premieres.

2000

Brenner had three children—Cole, Slade and Wyatt. He and the mother of Cole, his first son, fought a custody battle for several years. Brenner finally won child custody in 1992. Because family courts would have regarded him as an absentee Father if he were away from home more than 50 nights a year, Brenner substantially reduced the number of appearances in his stand-up comedy work, including performances on the Tonight Show in order to secure and maintain custody of his son. Brenner married Elizabeth Slater of New York, the mother of his sons Slade and Wyatt, in the closing minutes of his David Brenner: Back with a Vengeance! HBO Special recorded in Las Vegas, on February 19, 2000. They divorced a little over a year later and also then fought two custody battles, both of which Brenner won. Brenner was engaged to Tai Babilonia in 2005, but they never married. For a while in the 2000s, Brenner lived in Las Vegas.

2010

After high school, Brenner spent two years in the U.S. Army, serving in the 101st Airborne and as a cryptographer of the 595th Signal Corps in Böblingen, Germany. After being discharged, he attended Temple University, where he majored in mass communication and graduated with honors.

2014

Brenner died on March 15, 2014, at age 78 from pancreatic cancer at his Manhattan home.

Some David Brenner images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.