Dick Capri
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Born Name:
Richard Emerick Crupi
Born Date: August 11, 1931
Born Place: Reading, Pennsylvania
Died Date: December 26, 2024
Died Place: Boca Raton, Florida
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: Dick Capri was a celebrated American stand-up comedian and actor best known as a mainstay of the Borscht Belt comedy scene and a co-star of the Broadway hit Catskills on Broadway.
Early Life and Career:
Born Richard Emerick Crupi in Reading, Pennsylvania, Capri discovered his comedic talent while performing mimes and impressions for customers at his father’s grocery store. After high school, he moved to New York City to pursue stand-up full-time. By the 1960s, he had become a regular on television, appearing on programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Rise to Prominence:
Capri’s career reached a turning point in 1973 when he began touring internationally as the opening comedy act for singer Engelbert Humperdinck. Over the following decades, he worked alongside legendary entertainers including.
Catskills on Broadway and Legacy:
In 1991, Capri made his Broadway debut in "Catskills on Broadway" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The nostalgic revue, which also featured Freddie Roman and Mal Z. Lawrence, celebrated the golden era of Jewish resort comedy. Although Capri was of Italian heritage, his mastery of Yiddish phrases and Jewish comedic timing earned him the status of an "honorary Jew" among his peers. Beyond the stage, Capri was a renowned roaster at the Friars Club, where he targeted figures like Donald Trump and Drew Carey. His film credits included roles in They Still Call Me Bruce (1987) and One Angry Man (2010).
Born Date: August 11, 1931
Born Place: Reading, Pennsylvania
Died Date: December 26, 2024
Died Place: Boca Raton, Florida
Occupations: Actor, comedian
Brief Biography: Dick Capri was a celebrated American stand-up comedian and actor best known as a mainstay of the Borscht Belt comedy scene and a co-star of the Broadway hit Catskills on Broadway.
Early Life and Career:
Born Richard Emerick Crupi in Reading, Pennsylvania, Capri discovered his comedic talent while performing mimes and impressions for customers at his father’s grocery store. After high school, he moved to New York City to pursue stand-up full-time. By the 1960s, he had become a regular on television, appearing on programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Rise to Prominence:
Capri’s career reached a turning point in 1973 when he began touring internationally as the opening comedy act for singer Engelbert Humperdinck. Over the following decades, he worked alongside legendary entertainers including.
Catskills on Broadway and Legacy:
In 1991, Capri made his Broadway debut in "Catskills on Broadway" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The nostalgic revue, which also featured Freddie Roman and Mal Z. Lawrence, celebrated the golden era of Jewish resort comedy. Although Capri was of Italian heritage, his mastery of Yiddish phrases and Jewish comedic timing earned him the status of an "honorary Jew" among his peers. Beyond the stage, Capri was a renowned roaster at the Friars Club, where he targeted figures like Donald Trump and Drew Carey. His film credits included roles in They Still Call Me Bruce (1987) and One Angry Man (2010).