David Brenner, Stand-up Comic of the Little Things in Life

Photo

David Brenner, left, in 1975 with Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show,” which he appeared on more than 150 times. Credit Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank, via Getty Images

 

 

Tall and skinny, with a toothy grin and a memorably nasal delivery, Mr. Brenner became a comedian relatively late in life. He was over 30 and a successful writer, producer and director of documentary films when he began working in New York comedy clubs in the late ’60s. Stardom came quickly.

On Jan. 8, 1971, he made his first appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” at the time the goal of every working comic. He went on to become one of the show’s most frequent guests, making more than 150 appearances, about half of them as substitute host.

In an interview in December on “CBS This Morning,” Mr. Brenner recalled that Carson once explained why he was asked so frequently to perform stand-up on the show, as opposed to sitting on the couch for an interview: “He said, ‘Because I like to sit back, smoke a cigarette and laugh for six minutes.’ ”

 I might have seen that first appearance. I certainly saw many.