Bruce, Lenny (1925-1966), was an influential and controversial American comedy . Unlike many other comedians, Bruce did not tell jokes. Instead, he attacked what he felt was the hypocrisy in society, especially in attitudes toward sex, politics, and religion. Bruce spoke in a conversational manner, injecting frequent Yiddish words and phrases into his material.
Bruce’s fans considered him a brilliant satirist and social commentator. Other people were offended by his ridicule of social institutions and especially his use of profanity. Bruce is generally credited, however, with extending the boundaries of subject matter explored by comedians.
Bruce was born on Oct. 13, 1925, in Los Angeles. His real name was Leonard Alfred Schneider. He began his show business career as a master of ceremonies at striptease shows. By the late 1950’s, Bruce’s irreverent comedy had made him popular with young audiences. Bruce performed primarily in nightclubs because his material was too controversial for the television programs of the time. Bruce was frequently arrested on obscenity charges and also for the illegal use of drugs. He died on Aug. 3, 1966, of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 40.
A Broadway play called Lenny (1971) was based on Bruce’s life and words. The play was made into a motion picture of the same name in 1974. Bruce wrote an autobiography, How to Talk Dirty and Influence People (1965).
