George Carlin - Atheists, Facts and Childhood
George Carlin's Personal Details
George Carlin was a comedian and social satirist most noted for his views on controversial subjects
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | May 12, 1937 |
| Died on | June 22, 2008 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Atheists, Atheists/Agnostics, School Dropouts, Film & Theater Personalities, Comedians, ENFP |
| Nick names | Georgie Porgie, Curious George |
| Spouses | Brenda Hosbrook, Sally Wade |
| Siblings | Patrick Carlin Jr. |
| Known as | George Denis Patrick Carlin |
| Childrens | Kelly Carlin-McCall |
| Universities |
|
| Birth Place | New York City |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Patrick Carlin |
| Mother | Mary Unk |
| Sun Sign | Taurus |
| Born in | New York City |
| Died at Age | 71 |
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George Carlin's photo
Who is George Carlin?
George Carlin was a comedian well known for his black humour and opinions on controversial subjects. The performer who rose to fame during the 1970’s was a bold and outspoken individual who did not think twice before voicing his strong opinions on topics considered taboo during those times. His most famous—or notorious—performance was his outrageous comedy routine ‘Seven Dirty Words’ which played a significant role in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to regulate indecent material on the broadcast media in 1978. Known to reinvent his stage persona from time to time to cater to the changing expectations of the audiences, he had metamorphosed from the conventional comedian of his younger days into a more insightful and cynical commentator on social issues in his later years. He forayed into the field of comedy by pairing up with Jack Burns with whom he performed successfully for two years before moving on to pursue a solo career. He began performing on variety shows in television and soon became popular as a frequent performer on ‘The Tonight Show’. After starting out as a conventional comedian he began experimenting with his looks and style. He stirred up considerable controversy with his routine ‘Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television’ which not only established his fame but also made him immortal in the hearts of his fans.
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Childhood & Early Life
George Carlin was born to Patrick Carlin, an advertising manager, and his wife Mary Beary, a secretary.
His parents separated when he was very young. He was raised by his very religious mother with whom he had a strained relationship.
He attended Cardinal Hayes High School which he left after just three semesters. He also went to Bishop Dubois High School for a brief period of time.
He was an active participant at Camp Notre Dame in Spofford and often won the camp’s drama award.
Career
He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1954 at the age of 17. He was trained as a radar technician and stationed at Louisiana. During this stint he was court martialed thrice. He was discharged in 1957.
He began performing as a part-time disc jockey while he was serving in the Air Force. After being discharged he took up a job with radio station KXOL in Texas where he met Jack Burns.
He teamed up with Jack Burns in 1959 and the duo performed at the coffeehouse The Cellar in Fort Worth. They moved to California in 1960 and recorded an album ‘Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club Tonight’. The pair broke up to pursue individual careers after working together successfully for two years.
He soon moved on to perform on television and appeared on shows like ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ and ‘The Tonight Show’. Some of his most popular routines were ‘The Indian Sergeant’, ‘Stupid disc jockeys’ and ‘Jon Carson’.
In 1967, he released his debut solo album ‘Take-Offs and Put-Ons. It contained routines that were similar to the ones he had already performed on the television shows. The album earned a Grammy Award nomination.
His album ‘Class Clown’ was released in 1972. It featured his musings about taboo topics and included the routine ‘Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television’ which became his signature performance.
His ‘Seven Words’ routine caused considerable controversy and he was even arrested in 1972 for violating the obscenity law. This only added to his popularity which was now soaring high.
Television offers began pouring in and he hosted the premiere broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live’ on NBC in 1975. He was also a frequent performer on the ‘Tony Orlando & Dawn’ series for the season 1976-77.
During this period his popularity was on an all-time high but unfortunately he began to suffer from heart problems which forced him to stay away from performing for some years.
He returned to the comedy scenario during the 1980’s and released the albums ‘Carlin at Carnegie Hall’ (1982), ‘Carlin on Campus’ (1984), and ‘Playin’ with Your Head’ (1986).
In 1987, he was chosen to play a major supporting role in the comedy movie ‘Outrageous Fortune’ which went on to become a smash hit. He played Frank Madras in the film which also starred Shelley Long and Bette Midler.
He was cast as Rufus in the 1989 science fiction cum comedy film ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure’. The film was a commercial success and became a cult classic. He reprised the role in the film’s sequel ‘Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey’ in 1991.
He acted as the U.S. narrator for the British children’s television series ‘Thomas & Friends’ from 1991 till 1995, and was cast as Mr. Conductor on a similar show ‘Shining Time Station’ from 1991 to 1993.
He co-created the sitcom ‘The George Carlin Show’ in 1993 with Sam Simon. He starred as taxicab driver George O’Grady in the show that premiered in January 1994 and ran for two seasons.
Carlin not only had heart problems, but also had a history of drug abuse and alcoholism which interfered with his career. He was active during his final years in spite of facing these challenges.
His final comedy album ‘It’s Bad for Ya’ was out in 2008. It was recorded just months before his death and peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Top Comedy Albums Chart.
Major Works
George Carlin was a comedian loved for his frank and outrageous commentary on controversial topics. In a career spanning over five decades, the one major work which became his signature was the ‘Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television’ routine featured on his album ‘Class Clown’.
Awards & Achievements
He was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Comedy Awards in 2001. This award is given to honour performers for their contribution to comedy, especially in the fields of television and films.
He had won five Grammy Awards including the one for his final album ‘It’s Bad For Ya’ which received the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2009.
Personal Life & Legacy
He married Brenda Hosbrook in 1961 and had a daughter with her. Their marriage lasted till his wife’s death in 1997.
In 1998, he married Sally Wade. They remained married till his death.
He had a history of heart problems and had suffered three heart attacks. He also had troubles with alcoholism and drug abuse which further deteriorated his health. He died of heart failure at the age of 71.
Trivia
He cited his biggest influences to be the Marx Brothers, Lenny Bruce and Danny Kaye.
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George Carlin's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Grammy Awards | ||
| 2009 | Best Comedy Album | George Carlin... It's Bad for Ya! (2008) |
| 2002 | Best Spoken Comedy Album | Winner |
| 2001 | Best Spoken Comedy Album | Winner |
| 1994 | Best Spoken Comedy Album | George Carlin: Jammin' in New York (1992) |
| 1973 | Best Comedy Recording | Winner |
George Carlin biography timelines
- // 12th May 1937George Carlin was born to Patrick Carlin, an advertising manager, and his wife Mary Beary, a secretary.
- // 1954He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1954 at the age of 17. He was trained as a radar technician and stationed at Louisiana. During this stint he was court martialed thrice. He was discharged in 1957.
- // 1959 To 1962He teamed up with Jack Burns in 1959 and the duo performed at the coffeehouse The Cellar in Fort Worth. They moved to California in 1960 and recorded an album ‘Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club Tonight’. The pair broke up to pursue individual careers after working together successfully for two years.
- // 1961 To 1997He married Brenda Hosbrook in 1961 and had a daughter with her. Their marriage lasted till his wife’s death in 1997.
- // 1967In 1967, he released his debut solo album ‘Take-Offs and Put-Ons. It contained routines that were similar to the ones he had already performed on the television shows. The album earned a Grammy Award nomination.
- // 1972His album ‘Class Clown’ was released in 1972. It featured his musings about taboo topics and included the routine ‘Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television’ which became his signature performance.
- // 1972His ‘Seven Words’ routine caused considerable controversy and he was even arrested in 1972 for violating the obscenity law. This only added to his popularity which was now soaring high.
- // 1975 To 1977Television offers began pouring in and he hosted the premiere broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live’ on NBC in 1975. He was also a frequent performer on the ‘Tony Orlando & Dawn’ series for the season 1976-77.
- // 1982 To 1986He returned to the comedy scenario during the 1980’s and released the albums ‘Carlin at Carnegie Hall’ (1982), ‘Carlin on Campus’ (1984), and ‘Playin’ with Your Head’ (1986).
- // 1987In 1987, he was chosen to play a major supporting role in the comedy movie ‘Outrageous Fortune’ which went on to become a smash hit. He played Frank Madras in the film which also starred Shelley Long and Bette Midler.
- // 1989He was cast as Rufus in the 1989 science fiction cum comedy film ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure’. The film was a commercial success and became a cult classic. He reprised the role in the film’s sequel ‘Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey’ in 1991.
- // 1991 To 1995He acted as the U.S. narrator for the British children’s television series ‘Thomas & Friends’ from 1991 till 1995, and was cast as Mr. Conductor on a similar show ‘Shining Time Station’ from 1991 to 1993.
- // 1993He co-created the sitcom ‘The George Carlin Show’ in 1993 with Sam Simon. He starred as taxicab driver George O’Grady in the show that premiered in January 1994 and ran for two seasons.
- // 1998In 1998, he married Sally Wade. They remained married till his death.
- // 2001He was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Comedy Awards in 2001. This award is given to honour performers for their contribution to comedy, especially in the fields of television and films.
- // 2008His final comedy album ‘It’s Bad for Ya’ was out in 2008. It was recorded just months before his death and peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Top Comedy Albums Chart.
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George Carlin's FAQ
What is George Carlin birthday?
George Carlin was born at 1937-05-12
When was George Carlin died?
George Carlin was died at 2008-06-22
Where was George Carlin died?
George Carlin was died in Santa Monica
Which age was George Carlin died?
George Carlin was died at age 71
Where is George Carlin's birth place?
George Carlin was born in New York City
What is George Carlin nationalities?
George Carlin's nationalities is American
What is George Carlin nick names?
George Carlin's nickNames is Georgie Porgie, Curious George
Who is George Carlin spouses?
George Carlin's spouses is Brenda Hosbrook, Sally Wade
Who is George Carlin siblings?
George Carlin's siblings is Patrick Carlin Jr.
Who is George Carlin childrens?
George Carlin's childrens is Kelly Carlin-McCall
What was George Carlin universities?
George Carlin studied at Cardinal Hayes High School, Bronx
Who is George Carlin's father?
George Carlin's father is Patrick Carlin
Who is George Carlin's mother?
George Carlin's mother is Mary Unk
What is George Carlin's sun sign?
George Carlin is Taurus