Lenny Bruce, born Leonard Alfred Schneider, began his career with stand-up performances.
Bruce was screenwriter-actor for ‘Dance Hall Racket’ (1953), ‘Dream Follies’ (1954), and screenplay writer for the children’s film ‘The Rocket Man’ (1954). He was writer-actor of the incomplete film ‘The Leather Jacket’ (1955). In 1959, Bruce wrote and starred in the TV special ‘One Night Stand: The World of Lenny Bruce,’ and also appeared in ‘The Steve Allen Show.’ Some of his early screenplays were not made into films, which he released as 4 comedy albums.
His August 1965 performance at Basin Street West, San Francisco, was filmed and released as ‘The Lenny Bruce Performance Film’ (1992). Bruce featured as himself in the sketch comedy film ‘Dynamite Chicken’ and as writer-narrator in the animated short film based on his comedy routine, ‘Thank You Mask Man,’ both of which were released in 1971.
Several documentaries and movies based on Bruce’s life and comedy were produced and released after his death.
Well-known comedian Lenny Bruce appears at San Francisco for his second-last live appearance, in which he reads transcripts and allegations from one of his several obscenity trials. Then he continues to comment on what he’d actually said or done.
A gangster who operates a dance hall has hired a sadistic bodyguard to keep his girls and his customers in line. When a murder occurs, an FBI undercover agent is planted to find the culprit. He soon learns that the place is only a cover-up for diamond smuggling activities.
Despite years of providing protection to a small town, The Lone Ranger never stays long enough to receive any gratitude for his work, which angers the population. Therefore he decides to stay for a while and starts liking to hear, ‘Thank you, mask man’. He soon starts demanding to hear it every time he performs a good deed.
