Join the Washington DC Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Oct 13th at 5:30 for When Comedy Went To School at the Landmark E Street Cinema . Look for Laine wearing a green and white jacket in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.
Why are there so many Jewish comedians? When Comedy Went to School answers this question with an entertaining portrait of this country’s greatest generation of comicsthe generation that includes Jerry Lewis, Sid Caesar, Jackie Mason, Mort Sahl and Jerry Stiller, all of whom make appearances in the film, delivering jokes and telling their personal stories. The answer is also found in upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains, aka the Borscht Belt, where Jewish immigrants transformed lush farmland into the 20th century’s largest resort complex, providing the setting for a remarkable group of young Jewish-American comedians to hone their craft and become worldwide legends. It was truly When Comedy Went to School. Packed full of laughs with Danny Kaye, Mel Brooks, Red Buttons, Lenny Bruce, Henny Youngman and many more performing in the Catskills; plus early appearances by the younger generation including Woody Allen, Billy Crystal and Jerry Seinfeld. Narrated by Robert Klein; also featuring Larry King, Dick Gregory, Mickey Freeman, Hugh Hefner and Joe Franklin.