Avery Schreiber
| Avery Schreiber | |
|---|---|
 Schreiber (left) with Jack Burns, 1966 | |
| Born |
Avery Lawrence Schreiber April 9, 1935 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Died |
January 7, 2002 (aged 66) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1964–2001 |
| Spouse(s) | Rochelle Issacs (m. 1962) |
| Children | 2 |
Avery Lawrence Schreiber (April 9, 1935 – January 7, 2002) was an American comedian and actor. He was a veteran of stage, television, and film.[1][2]
Life and career
Schreiber was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Minnie (née Shear) and George Schreiber.[2] He started his career in Chicago at the Goodman Theatre. He joined The Second City and later teamed with Jack Burns to form the comedy team of Burns and Schreiber.[3] They recorded several comedy albums and appeared on numerous television shows.
Schreiber is remembered for his many Doritos ads in the 1970s,[4][5] as well as his appearances in classic television shows. He was easily recognizable for his trademark bushy moustache, curly hair, and comedic reactions. In 1965, Schreiber played the role of Captain Manzini on My Mother the Car.
In the summer of 1973, he co-hosted the ABC comedy show, The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour.[6]
Schreiber was a regular guest star on Chico and the Man. He was also a frequent guest on the game show Match Game and a guest in a first-season episode of The Muppet Show (written by former partner Jack Burns, whom he mentioned during a stand-up routine in the episode).
Avery continued to work in film, television and the Theater, as well as teach Improvisational Theater technique up until the time of his death. He taught master classes at The Second City in Chicago and Los Angeles, and also taught out of his home.
Death
In 1994, Schreiber suffered a heart attack, resulting from complications of diabetes. Though he survived triple bypass surgery, he never fully recovered. He died of another heart attack on January 7, 2002, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.[1][3]
Legacy
In 2003, the Avery Schreiber Theatre was founded in North Hollywood, California. In 2013, the Avery Schreiber Theatre changed its name to The Avery Schreiber Playhouse with the blessing of Rochelle Isaacs Schreiber (Shelley), Avery's wife. It is located at 4934 Lankershim Blvd in the NoHo Arts District.[7]
Filmography
Features
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Dying On the Edge | |
| 2000 | Pedestrian | |
| 2000 | Rebel Yell | |
| 1998 | The Russian Room | |
| 1997 | The Lay of the Land | |
| 1995 | Dracula: Dead and Loving It | Peasant on Coach |
| 1993 | Animaniacs | Beanie the Brain-Dead Bison |
| 1993 | Robin Hood: Men in Tights | Tax Assessor |
| 1990 | Wake, Rattle & Roll | Dr. Lester T. Quirk |
| 1988 | Saturday the 14th Strikes Back | Frank Baxter |
| 1987 | Hunk | Constatine Constapopolis |
| 1986 | Outlaws | |
| 1985 | Shadow Chasers | |
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II | |
| 1983 | Jimmy the Kid | Dr. Stevens |
| 1981 | Caveman | Ock |
| 1980 | Avery Schreiber Live From the Second City | |
| 1980 | More Wild Wild West | |
| 1980 | Steve Martin: All Commercials | |
| 1980 | Loose Shoes | Theatre Manager |
| 1980 | Galaxina | Captain Cornelius Butt |
| 1980 | Silent Scream | Sgt. Manny Ruggin |
| 1979 | Scavenger Hunt | Zookeeper |
| 1979 | The Concorde ... Airport '79 | Russian coach Markov |
| 1979 | Flatbed Annie & Sweetiepie: Lady Truckers | Munroe |
| 1978 | Christmas at Walt Disney World | |
| 1977 | Don't Push, I'll Charge When I'm Ready | |
| 1977 | Lindsay Wagner: Another Side of Me | |
| 1977 | The Southern Double Cross | |
| 1977 | The Last Remake of Beau Geste | Arab Chieftain / Used Camel Salesman |
| 1976 | Swashbuckler | Pulaski |
| 1975 | Sammy and Company | |
| 1975 | Ben Vereen... Comin' at Ya | |
| 1974 | The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine | Mr. Evil |
| 1972 | Deadhead Miles | Boss Fulano |
| 1972 | Second Chance | Roberto Gazzari |
| 1971 | Story Theatre | |
| 1971 | Escape | |
| 1969 | Don't Drink the Water | Sultan |
| 1969 | The Monitors | Max |
Television
| Year | Program | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Days of Our Lives | Leopold Alamain |
| 1988 | A Pup Named Scooby-Doo | Additional Voices |
| 1987 | Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats | Benny the Ball |
| 1985 | The Pound Puppies | Tubbs |
| 1984 | Faerie Tale Theatre Pinocchio | Boatman |
| 1984 | The Fall Guy | Truck Driver (Episode 4:1 - Losers Weepers) |
| 1982 | Fantasy Island | |
| 1981 | The Smurfs | |
| 1979 | The Dukes of Hazzard | Wendel (Episode 1:13 - Double Sting) |
| 1978 | The Love Boat | Marooned |
| 1977 | Sha Na Na | |
| 1976 | The Rockford Files | Azie Boyajian |
| 1976 | The Muppet Show | |
| 1974 | The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine | Mr. Evil |
| 1973 | The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour | |
| 1969 | That Girl | Al Taylor |
| 1967 | Our Place | |
| 1965 | My Mother the Car | Captain Bernard Manzini |
References
- 1 2 "Avery Schreiber, 66, Doritos Funnyman". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 9, 2002.
- 1 2 "Avery Schreiber Biography (1935-2002)". Film Reference. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- 1 2 McLellan, Dennis (January 9, 2002). "Avery Schreiber, 66; Jack Burns' Comedy Partner". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Hollandsworth, Skip (January 1996). "Lay's of Our Lives". Texas Monthly. ISSN 0148-7736.
- ↑ As an injoke on a episode of "The Fall Guy" Schreiber gueststarred as a truck driver eating Doritos!
- ↑ "The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour". TV.com. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- ↑ Knolle, Sharon (15 June 2013). "NoHo's Avery Schreiber Theater Shutting Down After 10 Years". LAist.