Sunday, January 6, 2019

Remembering Bob Einstein, Curb Your Enthusiasm's Marty Funkhouser


Bob Einstein, the Emmy-Award winning writer, comedian, actor and producer who died this week at 76, was best known for creating unforgettable characters such as Super Dave Osborne and Officer Judy on “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”, and giving life to Marty Funkhouser on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”.

His childhood was touched by tragedy when his father, comedian Harry Einstein who was known as Parkyakarkus, died of a heart attack at the age of 54 just after a performance in 1958 at a roast for Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Comedy was in the family genes, with Einstein's brother Albert changing his name to Albert Brooks to differentiate the comedian Albert Einstein from the physicist Albert Einstein.

Bob Einstein's comedy began in the late 1960s. One of his first jobs, as a writer, was on the “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” for which he won an Emmy Award in 1969. 

His most recognizable character for contemporary audiences is Marty Funkhouser of Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” In 22 episodes over a 13-year span from 2004-2017, Einstein played Marty as a hilarious foil to David, never failing to make him laugh both on and off camera. 

In this clip, Einstein as Marty Funkhouser shows up at a recently opened Palestinian restaurant wearing a big yarmulke.

Enjoy!

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