Shelley Berman was an American comedian, actor, writer, teacher, and lecturer. Here’s a breakdown of his key accomplishments:  

• Comedy Pioneer:
  • He was known for his unique style of observational and often improvisational comedy, particularly his “telephone” monologues.
  • He was the first comedian to win a Grammy Award for a spoken comedy recording.  
  • He also was the first stand up comedian to perform at Carnegie Hall.  
• Acting Career:
  • He had a long and varied acting career, appearing in numerous television shows and films.  
  • Notably, he played Larry David’s father, Nat David, on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” for which he received an Emmy nomination.  
• Other Endeavors:
  • He was also a writer and a respected teacher, lecturing on humor writing at the University of Southern California.  
  • He also wrote poetry.  
• Personal Information
  • He was married to Sarah Herman, making her Sarah Herman Berman.
  • He passed away on September 1, 2017.