Harry Basil
Harry Basil is an American stand-up comedian and comedy club operator, known for his impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Superman. As an actor, Basil appeared in the film Peggy Sue Got Married. His film credits include Meet Wally Sparks, which he co-wrote with Rodney Dangerfield.[1]
Harry Basil | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Education | Bergenfield High School |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian |
| Employer | The Laugh Factory in Las Vegas |
| Known for | Impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Superman |
A native of Bergenfield, New Jersey,[2] Basil attended Bergenfield High School, where he made a student film called Land Shark.[3] As a high school student, Basil won a film award from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as part of a presentation to him from director Otto Preminger.[2]
In May 1984, Basil made a major break as a stand-up comedian as part of show at The Comedy Store in Las Vegas, where he appeared as part of a group that included future comedy performers Louie Anderson, Jim Carrey, Andrew Dice Clay, and Paul Rodriguez making their first appearances on a stage in Las Vegas. Basil is a partner in the Laugh Factory comedy club located at Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.[4]
As a film writer, Basil worked extensively with comedian Rodney Dangerfield, including such films as Meet Wally Sparks (1997), My 5 Wives (2000) The 4th Tenor (2002) and Back by Midnight (2005). Basil also directed the films Funky Monkey (2004), Cloud 9, Soul's Midnight (2006), Fingerprints (2006), and Urban Decay (2007).[2]
References
- Harry Basil Biography, Laugh Factory. Accessed March 18, 2016.
- Katz, Bobbie. "Harry Basil: Gee, That's Funny!", Vegas Insider Daily, February 23, 2015. Accessed March 18, 2016. "Originally from Bergenfield, New Jersey, as a youngster, he turned his backyard into a film studio and shot dozens of super 8 action and horror films."
- Beckerman, Jim. "A revolutionary stage designer", The Record (Bergen County), May 29, 2005. Accessed March 18, 2016. "'I guess we were just lucky,' says Charles Bogusat, festival co-founder and for 29 years teacher of the video production class (formerly called filmmaking class) at Bergenfield High School. 'Thom Fitzgerald, when he was a student, did this super-8 animated project about a bear, beautifully drawn, Bogusat remembers. Harry Basil did a film called 'Land Shark.'"
- Katsilometes, John. "Laugh Factory’s Harry Basil recalls stint with unprecedented comic lineup at Dunes", Las Vegas Sun, May 28, 2014. Accessed March 18, 2016.