Alan King Biography

Alan King

King honed his material working in the Catskills and entertaining New Yorkers with his routine focusing on the frustrations of the middle-class American dealing with bloated, inefficient commercial and governmental institutions. King toured the U.S. and Great Britain with Judy Garland's variety show, including a command performance before Queen Elizabeth II. He published his first book of jokes in 1962, and continued appearing in various clubs and hotels. He appeared on Broadway in the late '60s, then moved on to films in the '80s and '90s, including Author! Author! (1982), Enemies: A Love Story (1989), Bonfire of the Vanities (1990), and Casino (1995).