Lenny Schultz was a prominent comedian in the 1970s and '80s, celebrated for his high-energy performances filled with sound effects and props. Starting his career in the late 1960s while working as a high school gym teacher, Schultz developed a distinctive style that emphasized physical comedy and absurdity. He became known for acts that included the dramatic reenactment of life on Earth and absurd sketches involving everyday objects. His innovative approach left a lasting impact on peers, such as David Letterman, who fondly remembered Schultz's place in their comedy circles.
Lenny Schultz, a wild-eyed comedian who became known in the 1970s and '80s for high-energy performances that he delivered with a mouthful of sound effects and a table full of silly props, died on Sunday at his home in Delray Beach, Fla. He was 91.
With his expressive face, his physicality and the rapid pace of his act, Mr. Schultz exuded a loony intensity. He began his comedy career in the late 1960s while keeping his day job as a high school gym teacher.
I can't tell a joke, Mr. Schultz told The Orlando Sentinel in 1972, but that didn't matter. The guys I like and the guys I identify with ... are the zanies.
Lenny has a special place in the hearts and memories of everybody in his peer group... He is talked about more often, randomly, than any single person we spent time with at the Comedy Store in the 1970s.
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