Del Close

Del Close (born March 9, 1934, in Manhattan, Kansas; died March 4, 1999), along with Keith Johnstone and Viola Spolin, is considered one of the premier influences on improvisational theater. An actor, improviser, writer, and teacher, he was a co-author of the book Truth in Comedy along with partner Charna Halpern, which contained techniques that are now common to long-form improvisational theater and described the overall structure of "the Harold" which remains a common frame for longer improvisational scenes.

Related Topics:
March 9 - 1934 - Manhattan, Kansas - March 4 - 1999 - Keith Johnstone - Viola Spolin - Improvisational theater - Truth in Comedy - Charna Halpern - The Harold

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Close began improvising and directing with the Compass Players, and later directed at The Second City. Along with Charna Halpern, he co-founded the ImprovOlympic. Acolytes of Del Close have gained prominence in the field of comedy with astounding frequency. At any given time, roughly a quarter of Saturday Night Live's cast has been composed of former Del Close trainees.

Related Topics:
The Second City - ImprovOlympic - Saturday Night Live

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Close had a prolific career, appearing in a number of films and television shows. With John Brent he recorded the classic beatnik satire album How to Speak Hip (Mercury, 1959) which became a prized record for DJs worldwide and was one of Brian Wilson's favourite comedy albums. He also co-authored the horror anthology Wasteland for DC Comics. His favorite framework for comedic storytelling was the structures of Wagner's Ring Cycle.

Related Topics:
John Brent - Beatnik - How to Speak Hip - Brian Wilson - Wasteland - DC Comics - Wagner - Ring Cycle

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He spent the 1980s and 1990s teaching comedy improv while slowly succumbing to the deterioration of past heroin use. Legend has it that his last words were, "I'm tired of being the funniest person in the room."

Related Topics:
1980s - 1990s - Heroin

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Close donated his skull in his will to the Goodman Theatre for use in Hamlet productions.

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