Acclaimed comedienne Adrianne Tolsch, who was an influential figure in the New York stand-up comedy scene, passed away on Wednesday morning of esophageal cancer. She was 78.
The comedienne was the wife of Bill Scheft, former writer of the Late Show with David Letterman. She was also the first emcee at the popular Catch a Rising Star.
She headlined every major comedy club in the U.S. Even she gained popularity for her performance in casinos across the world including Las Vegas and Atlantic City and venues in London, Melbourne, and even Tasmania.
Being a native of Brooklyn, Tolsch was a groundbreaking comedienne in the late 1970's. At the time, she went on to perform throughout the country. She opened for act in various significant comedy clubs such as Jay Leno, The Pointer Sisters, Bobby Vinton, Chita Rivera, Pat Cooper, Billy Crystal.
She was a pioneering figure as a female comic in the male-dominating era. She also served as a mentor to many young aspiring comics.
"I think that she was a little proud of it, but it was mostly about the work," Scheft told Entertainment Weekly. "She was someone that (believed) funny is funny is funny. She was a typical comic."
She also performed in the 1992 Broadway musical and comedy revue 3 From Brooklyn. Her one-woman cabaret show Trucks, Guns and Mayonnaise won the 2004 Cabaret Hotline Award. Later in 2006, she also received the same honour for her show None of Your Damn Business.
Bill Scheft also remembered his wife as someone who was "just fiercely funny and fiercely smart. She was my best quality."
Here's the clip of one of the performances by late comedienne.
