Hillarious and well researched, Heather Ross’ For Madmen Only is an American Splendor-esque portrait of Del Close, a genius that is likely little known outside of the niche world of comedy geekdom. His impact is far and wide, working with legends like Bill Murray (who isn’t in the picture) to Adam McKay, all influenced by his revolutionary improvisational style which he called “Harold” for no good reason at all.
Ross traces the stations of his life using interviews, archival footage, animations (inspired by his stint writing DC Comics’ Wasteland in the late ’80s), audio recordings, and recreations of certain moments in Close’s life played mostly straight by James Urbaniak, Matt Walsh, Patton Oswalt, and Paul Scheer. Narrated by Michaela Watkins, the film bounces around somewhat maddeningly in the spirit of the talent, first starting late in life as he looks back with Wasteland editor Mike Gold on insane stories that often baffle readers.
Ross traces the stations of his life using interviews, archival footage, animations (inspired by his stint writing DC Comics’ Wasteland in the late ’80s), audio recordings, and recreations of certain moments in Close’s life played mostly straight by James Urbaniak, Matt Walsh, Patton Oswalt, and Paul Scheer. Narrated by Michaela Watkins, the film bounces around somewhat maddeningly in the spirit of the talent, first starting late in life as he looks back with Wasteland editor Mike Gold on insane stories that often baffle readers.
- 3/25/2020
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: We hear that Blockers filmmaker and Pitch Perfect franchise scribe Kay Cannon will direct the biopic Del & Charna about Charna Halpern and her partnership with the late legendary improv maestro Del Close. Together they built Chicago’s Improv Olympic, a prestigious comedy training ground for Saturday Night Live players and scribes, as well as the New York and Hollywood showbiz scene that boasts an all-star award-winning alum roster of Mike Myers, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Chris Farley, Jon Favreau, Adam McKay, Stephen Colbert, Rachel Dratch, Cecily Strong, Seth Meyers, Matt Walsh, Vanessa Bayer, Bob Odenkirk, David Koechner, Andy Dick, Cannon herself and many more.
Del & Charna will follow the unlikely pairing and tumultuous 19-year relationship of Close and Halpern, the latter who continues to own, run and teach at the Io theater. Together as friends, saviors and soulmates, the duo helped each other overcome his addiction, financial ruin, and...
Del & Charna will follow the unlikely pairing and tumultuous 19-year relationship of Close and Halpern, the latter who continues to own, run and teach at the Io theater. Together as friends, saviors and soulmates, the duo helped each other overcome his addiction, financial ruin, and...
- 11/4/2019
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Kay Cannon, who directed Blockers and wrote the Pitch Perfect movies, is set to direct the upcoming comedy industry biopic film Del & Charna for Red Crown Productions.
Rich Talarico and Alex Fendrich will pen the screenplay about the unlikely pairing of Chicago improv legend Del Close and comedy theater owner Charna Halpern. The film will recall the partners overcoming adversity to establish improv comedy in Chicago as an art form and launching the careers of many Second City comedy performers, writers and directors.
Del & Charna will be produced by Daniel Crown, Yoni Liebling, Cannon and Laverne McKinnon and executive produced ...
Rich Talarico and Alex Fendrich will pen the screenplay about the unlikely pairing of Chicago improv legend Del Close and comedy theater owner Charna Halpern. The film will recall the partners overcoming adversity to establish improv comedy in Chicago as an art form and launching the careers of many Second City comedy performers, writers and directors.
Del & Charna will be produced by Daniel Crown, Yoni Liebling, Cannon and Laverne McKinnon and executive produced ...
- 11/4/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kay Cannon, who directed Blockers and wrote the Pitch Perfect movies, is set to direct the upcoming comedy industry biopic film Del & Charna for Red Crown Productions.
Rich Talarico and Alex Fendrich will pen the screenplay about the unlikely pairing of Chicago improv legend Del Close and comedy theater owner Charna Halpern. The film will recall the partners overcoming adversity to establish improv comedy in Chicago as an art form and launching the careers of many Second City comedy performers, writers and directors.
Del & Charna will be produced by Daniel Crown, Yoni Liebling, Cannon and Laverne McKinnon and executive produced ...
Rich Talarico and Alex Fendrich will pen the screenplay about the unlikely pairing of Chicago improv legend Del Close and comedy theater owner Charna Halpern. The film will recall the partners overcoming adversity to establish improv comedy in Chicago as an art form and launching the careers of many Second City comedy performers, writers and directors.
Del & Charna will be produced by Daniel Crown, Yoni Liebling, Cannon and Laverne McKinnon and executive produced ...
- 11/4/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Barbara Harris, the actress who starred in the 1976 film Freaky Friday, has died. She was 83.
Harris died on Tuesday from lung cancer in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to the Associated Press.
Her close friend Charna Halpern, who co-founded the iO Theater in Chicago, confirmed the news on Facebook.
“My friend and an amazing famous actress Barbara Harris passed away early this morning, Halpern wrote. “My favorite memories of her were her sense of humor and how she made me laugh.”
“If you haven’t seen her movies-watch Family Plot and A Thousand Clowns,” she added. “Those are two of my favorites.
Harris died on Tuesday from lung cancer in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to the Associated Press.
Her close friend Charna Halpern, who co-founded the iO Theater in Chicago, confirmed the news on Facebook.
“My friend and an amazing famous actress Barbara Harris passed away early this morning, Halpern wrote. “My favorite memories of her were her sense of humor and how she made me laugh.”
“If you haven’t seen her movies-watch Family Plot and A Thousand Clowns,” she added. “Those are two of my favorites.
- 8/21/2018
- by Alexia Fernandez
- PEOPLE.com
Chicago – When comedian/writer/director Mike Birbiglia is in his element, as during the interviews he conducted at The iO Theater in Chicago, he is relaxed and ardently philosophical. He has written and directed a new film, “Don’t Think Twice,” which is about a improvisation comedy troupe, but it’s also about life.
“Don’t Think Twice” – besides being a clever play on the famous Bob Dylan song title – is essentially about the stages of life, and how we react to our own ambitions. The members of the comedy troupe – portrayed by (clockwise in the picture below, starting top left) Mike Birbiglia, Kate Miccuci, Chris Gethard, Gillian Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key and Tami Sagner – are at a crossroads in their professional and personal lives, and have to deal with the sudden uptick of fame to one of their members. As Birbiglia did with his first feature, ‘Sleepwalk with Me,’ he...
“Don’t Think Twice” – besides being a clever play on the famous Bob Dylan song title – is essentially about the stages of life, and how we react to our own ambitions. The members of the comedy troupe – portrayed by (clockwise in the picture below, starting top left) Mike Birbiglia, Kate Miccuci, Chris Gethard, Gillian Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key and Tami Sagner – are at a crossroads in their professional and personal lives, and have to deal with the sudden uptick of fame to one of their members. As Birbiglia did with his first feature, ‘Sleepwalk with Me,’ he...
- 7/27/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
On The Late Show on Thursday night, Stephen Colbert celebrated the Cubs winning the wild card spot in the Mlb playoffs (they beat Pittsburgh) by declaring that the Curse of the Goat was now broken and that the Cubs would go on to win the whole enchilada.
Mr. Colbert, how could you? You lived in Chicago for eleven years. I know that, at that time, you studied improv with Charna Halpern and my old writing partner, Del Close. You know the dashed hopes and numbing despair experienced by Cub fans. And just when the Cubbies had won their first playoff game in Twelve Years, you had to flout the Curse of the Goat and even eject from your show a goat that had been in the front row of the audience. The goat clearly did not want to go but you had to repeat the incident that first brought the...
Mr. Colbert, how could you? You lived in Chicago for eleven years. I know that, at that time, you studied improv with Charna Halpern and my old writing partner, Del Close. You know the dashed hopes and numbing despair experienced by Cub fans. And just when the Cubbies had won their first playoff game in Twelve Years, you had to flout the Curse of the Goat and even eject from your show a goat that had been in the front row of the audience. The goat clearly did not want to go but you had to repeat the incident that first brought the...
- 10/11/2015
- by John Ostrander
- Comicmix.com
The iO West Theater, one of Los Angeles’ premier improv and sketch schools, continues to offer audiences and students a roster of entertaining evenings this summer. Writer-performer George McAuliffe’s one-man satire “Not All Cops Are Bad!”—about an officer in over his head addressing victims of police brutality—arrives June 15, 22, and 29, joining such shows as “Opening Night,” a fully improvised Broadway musical, and performances from the likes of longform improv group Dasariski, Cook County Social Club, Dr. God, and the Reckoning. McAuliffe has written for the TBS Just For Laughs Festival, the Onion News Network, and the Not Inappropriate Show with Bob Odenkirk. With a list of alumni that includes Amy Poehler, Eliza Coupe, and Eric Stonestreet, iO Theater provides improvisers the training and practice they need. Originally founded in 1981 by Charna Halpern and the late teacher-director Del Close, the theater is now a go-to destination for comedians and...
- 6/8/2015
- backstage.com
Chicago – iO Chicago continues the Grand Opening at its new venue with one of its most famous alumni – the illustrious Joel Murray. Besides opening the seventh season of “Mad Men” with a brilliant monologue as Freddy Rumsen, Murray brings his “Joel Murray & Friends” show to the new iO Chicago on August 30th.
Murray is the youngest of the famous “Murrays of Wilmette, Illinois,” which includes brothers Brian-Doyle, Bill and John, plus sister Nancy. He is also one of the earliest members of the former Improv Olympics – now called iO – which grew from its modest beginnings in Chicago with founders Del Close and Charna Halpern to their latest multi-theater venue on Kingsbury Street. Joel Murray comes back to his roots with “Joel Murray & Friends” in The Mission Theater at the venue, which will feature some other famous iO alumni including Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”), Mitch Rouse (“According to Jim”), Kevin Dorff (“Conan...
Murray is the youngest of the famous “Murrays of Wilmette, Illinois,” which includes brothers Brian-Doyle, Bill and John, plus sister Nancy. He is also one of the earliest members of the former Improv Olympics – now called iO – which grew from its modest beginnings in Chicago with founders Del Close and Charna Halpern to their latest multi-theater venue on Kingsbury Street. Joel Murray comes back to his roots with “Joel Murray & Friends” in The Mission Theater at the venue, which will feature some other famous iO alumni including Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”), Mitch Rouse (“According to Jim”), Kevin Dorff (“Conan...
- 8/28/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
This interview originally appeared in the Dec. 20th issue of Entertainment Weekly.
In the mid-’90s, they found themselves on the same improv comedy team. In the mid-aughts, they became the first female duo to anchor the “Weekend Update” desk on Saturday Night Live. A few years later, they costarred on the big screen in Baby Mama. And today? Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are still finding ways to sit or stand next to each other while trading punchlines. In fact, they just tackled the daunting roles of guest editors for a recent issue of EW. The duo’s next...
In the mid-’90s, they found themselves on the same improv comedy team. In the mid-aughts, they became the first female duo to anchor the “Weekend Update” desk on Saturday Night Live. A few years later, they costarred on the big screen in Baby Mama. And today? Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are still finding ways to sit or stand next to each other while trading punchlines. In fact, they just tackled the daunting roles of guest editors for a recent issue of EW. The duo’s next...
- 1/10/2014
- by Dan Snierson
- EW - Inside TV
This interview originally appeared in the Dec. 20th issue of Entertainment Weekly.
In the mid-’90s, they found themselves on the same improv comedy team. In the mid-aughts, they became the first female duo to anchor the “Weekend Update” desk on Saturday Night Live. A few years later, they costarred on the big screen in Baby Mama. And today? Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are still finding ways to sit or stand next to each other while trading punchlines. In fact, they just tackled the daunting roles of guest editors for a recent issue of EW. The duo’s next...
In the mid-’90s, they found themselves on the same improv comedy team. In the mid-aughts, they became the first female duo to anchor the “Weekend Update” desk on Saturday Night Live. A few years later, they costarred on the big screen in Baby Mama. And today? Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are still finding ways to sit or stand next to each other while trading punchlines. In fact, they just tackled the daunting roles of guest editors for a recent issue of EW. The duo’s next...
- 1/10/2014
- by Dan Snierson
- EW - Inside TV
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