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George
Carlin
Leading
stand-up comic and occasional actor since the late 1960s,
this veteran performer evolved from a suit-clad, clean-cut
social observer to a shaggy countercultural commentator to
a grizzled survivor of numerous trends in American comedy.
Carlin started out as a radio disc jockey while serving in
the US Air Force in Shreveport LA. Working with a partner,
he began as a night club comedian in 1960 before striking
out on his own two years later. Carlin made his first TV
appearance as a guest on "The Merv Griffin Show"
in 1965. His childhood dream of becoming an actor began to
materialize with a recurring role as an agent for actress
Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) on the sitcom "That
Girl" in the 1966-67 season. Work followed in a
summer variety vehicle for John Davidson and a feature
supporting role in "With Six You Get Eggroll"
(1968).
Carlin
began as a relatively "straight" performer but
he achieved fame and influence after letting his hair and
beard grow in the mid-60s and moving his act to folk clubs
and coffee houses frequented by the young and the
restless. His wildly successful career in comedy recording
began with the release of "Take-Offs and Put-Ons"
in 1967. Several million-selling albums followed,
including the Grammy-winning "FM & AM",
"Class Clown", and "Occupation: Foole".
Carlin has recorded over 15 albums. Though he may be best
known for creating the amiably freaky Hippy Dippy
Weatherman and controversial routines like "Seven
Words You Can Never Say on TV"--the playing of which
resulted in NYC public radio station WBAI getting censured
and fined by the FCC in the 70s--much of Carlin's humor
consists of rather gentle observations of the absurdities
of everyday life and language and reminiscences of a
working-class Irish upbringing in NYC.
Carlin
never achieved his dream of becoming a movie star but he
has been a regular face on TV for three decades. Between
1967 and 1970 alone, Carlin made 80 major TV appearances
while working the top nightclubs. He went on to become a
staple of talk shows, variety specials, and several busted
pilots. Carlin has also been featured in over half a dozen
popular HBO comedy specials since 1977. He executive
produced and starred in his own sitcom, "The George
Carlin Show" (Fox, 1994-95), a fairly gentle vehicle
wherein he played a cranky aging NYC cabbie. Carlin's
feature credits include character work in "Outrageous
Fortune" (1987), "Bill & Ted's Excellent
Adventure" (1989) and its sequel "Bill &
Ted's Bogus Journey" (1991) and "The Prince of
Tides" (1991).
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