Avery Schreiber

Avery Schreiber
Schreiber (left) with Jack Burns in 1966
Born	Avery Lawrence Schreiber (1935-04-09)April 9, 1935 Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died	January 7, 2002(2002-01-07) (aged 66) Los Angeles, California, United States
Cause of death	Heart attack
Occupation	Actor, comedian
Years active	1964–2001
Spouse(s)	Rochelle Issacs (m. 1962)
Children	2

Jack Albertson, Avery Schreiber, and Freddie Prinze on Chico and the Man (1975)

Avery Lawrence Schreiber (April 9, 1935 – January 7, 2002) was an American comedian and actor. He was a veteran of stage, television, and film.^[1][2] He came to prominence in the 1960s in a comedy duo with Jack Burns, then went on to an array of acting parts mostly on television sitcoms and a series of advertisements for Doritos tortilla chips.^[3]

Life and career

Schreiber was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Minnie (née Shear) and George Schreiber.^[2] He started his career in Chicago at the Goodman Theatre. He joined The Second City and later teamed with Jack Burns to form the comedy team of Burns and Schreiber.^[3] They recorded several comedy albums and appeared on numerous television series.

Schreiber is remembered for his many Doritos ads in the 1970s,^[4][5] as well as his appearances on classic television series. He was easily recognizable for his trademark bushy moustache, curly hair, and comedic reactions. In 1965, Schreiber played the role of Captain Manzini on My Mother the Car.

In the summer of 1973, he co-hosted the ABC comedy The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour.^[6]

Schreiber was a regular guest star on the situation comedy Chico and the Man. He was also a frequent guest on the game show Match Game and a guest in a first-season episode of The Muppet Show (written by former partner Jack Burns, whom he mentioned during a stand-up routine in the episode).

Avery continued to work in film, television and theater, as well as teaching improvisational theater technique up until the time of his death. He taught master classes at The Second City in Chicago and Los Angeles, and also taught out of his home.

Death

In 1994, Schreiber suffered a heart attack resulting from complications of diabetes. Though he survived triple bypass surgery, he never fully recovered. He died of another heart attack on January 7, 2002 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.^[1] Schrieber was survived by his wife Rochelle and two children.^[3]

Legacy

In 2003, the Avery Schreiber Theatre was founded in North Hollywood, California. In 2013, the Avery Schreiber Theatre changed its name to The Avery Schreiber Playhouse with the approval of Rochelle Isaacs Schreiber (Shelley), Avery's wife. It is located at 4934 Lankershim Blvd. in the NoHo Arts District.^[7]

Filmography

References

External links

• Avery Schreiber on IMDb
• Avery Schreiber at Find a Grave