PERRY KURTZ
www.Talent Pages/PERRY
Personal details
About me
Los Angeles, California, United States
Corporate Comedian
Perry Kurtz's Biography
Perry Kurtz was born(?) in Philadelphia at 2:32am. at Doctors Hospital. As a 10 year old Cub Scout (they had no membership restrictions in those days), he briefly entered the entertainment field when he threw his voice into a sock and began giving puppet shows (at gunpoint) at local playgrounds. Graduating from Northeast High School in 1968, he attended The Hussian School of Commercial Art in downtown Philly.
After graduating in 1972(and paying off his instructors to pass him), he began freelancing for national label companies creating finished art for Pepsi, Tab, Sprite, Levi Strauss, Gerber,
and Polaroid, including the design of the Seven Up "bubble pattern" logo in '74(for a measly 300 bucks) (Really!!). In 1976, he became the art director of a religious publishing house just outside of Northeast Philadelphia making an outrageous amount of money.
After 2 years of high pressure, a nervous breakdown from overwork, and people constantly asking, "What are you? A comedian?", his close friends advised that he should (just leave town or) get into comedy.
He quit his directorship in 1977 and entered a talent show at The Crazy Horse Saloon in New Jersey, taking a $250 first prize for singing a parody of "Eleanor Rigby" as Jerry Lewis. He took a comedy workshop (cash was paid upfront) and lived on his savings until 1979. Then, with his last $500, a suitcase, electric guitar, and roller skates he equipped with headlights, he moved to San Francisco to become a comedian.
His first paying "gig" was as the emcee and manager at the now-closed, Off Broadway Male Burlesque Club on Broadway in North Beach working 6 nights a week and making WAY too much money. A few weeks later, at the request of screaming female patrons (they were blind), he gave birth to his "Comic Strip Routine" parody (he only takes off his jacket and women STILL give him money).
In 1983, he left the "Broadway Scene" (too much sex and drugs) and pursued comedy in real comedy clubs. He spent a lot of time "working out" at the Holy City Zoo Comedy Club in San Francisco, where he had many opportunities to hang out and share the stage improvising with Robin Williams. (He has followed Robin 13 times at management request) A few years later, he was averaging 30 to 40 weeks a year headlining comedy clubs (and getting paid for it) (Go figure) across North America and Canada.
Just before his birthday in 1989, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he became a paid regular at The Comedy Store (the money sucks) in Hollywood and Dangerfields in New York City.
He actually met his wife "online" on an LA bulletin board (they did not hot chat). They talked "voice" for 40 hours over 3 days. Then she drove to his house and they instantly(?) fell in love. He lives in Los Angeles, has been married 20 years to the same woman, has 4 kids, 27, 26, 22, and 8 year old, Bella, who ALSO does Stand Up Comedy with her father using her own original material, as he continues to work as an Entertainer/Comedian, comedy consultant and instructor, Humor Motivator, voice-over artist, is the ONLY True Freestyle Rap Artist, Hip Hop Dancer, Free-Lance Tonight Show Writer, and appears at comedy clubs, colleges, as well as public, private, and corporate events around the world.
Perry is Also the Star of "Drinking Beer and Smoking Cigarettes" On Youtube which garnered over a million views in 41 days. .
Corporate Comedian
Perry Kurtz's Biography
Perry Kurtz was born(?) in Philadelphia at 2:32am. at Doctors Hospital. As a 10 year old Cub Scout (they had no membership restrictions in those days), he briefly entered the entertainment field when he threw his voice into a sock and began giving puppet shows (at gunpoint) at local playgrounds. Graduating from Northeast High School in 1968, he attended The Hussian School of Commercial Art in downtown Philly.
After graduating in 1972(and paying off his instructors to pass him), he began freelancing for national label companies creating finished art for Pepsi, Tab, Sprite, Levi Strauss, Gerber,
and Polaroid, including the design of the Seven Up "bubble pattern" logo in '74(for a measly 300 bucks) (Really!!). In 1976, he became the art director of a religious publishing house just outside of Northeast Philadelphia making an outrageous amount of money.
After 2 years of high pressure, a nervous breakdown from overwork, and people constantly asking, "What are you? A comedian?", his close friends advised that he should (just leave town or) get into comedy.
He quit his directorship in 1977 and entered a talent show at The Crazy Horse Saloon in New Jersey, taking a $250 first prize for singing a parody of "Eleanor Rigby" as Jerry Lewis. He took a comedy workshop (cash was paid upfront) and lived on his savings until 1979. Then, with his last $500, a suitcase, electric guitar, and roller skates he equipped with headlights, he moved to San Francisco to become a comedian.
His first paying "gig" was as the emcee and manager at the now-closed, Off Broadway Male Burlesque Club on Broadway in North Beach working 6 nights a week and making WAY too much money. A few weeks later, at the request of screaming female patrons (they were blind), he gave birth to his "Comic Strip Routine" parody (he only takes off his jacket and women STILL give him money).
In 1983, he left the "Broadway Scene" (too much sex and drugs) and pursued comedy in real comedy clubs. He spent a lot of time "working out" at the Holy City Zoo Comedy Club in San Francisco, where he had many opportunities to hang out and share the stage improvising with Robin Williams. (He has followed Robin 13 times at management request) A few years later, he was averaging 30 to 40 weeks a year headlining comedy clubs (and getting paid for it) (Go figure) across North America and Canada.
Just before his birthday in 1989, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he became a paid regular at The Comedy Store (the money sucks) in Hollywood and Dangerfields in New York City.
He actually met his wife "online" on an LA bulletin board (they did not hot chat). They talked "voice" for 40 hours over 3 days. Then she drove to his house and they instantly(?) fell in love. He lives in Los Angeles, has been married 20 years to the same woman, has 4 kids, 27, 26, 22, and 8 year old, Bella, who ALSO does Stand Up Comedy with her father using her own original material, as he continues to work as an Entertainer/Comedian, comedy consultant and instructor, Humor Motivator, voice-over artist, is the ONLY True Freestyle Rap Artist, Hip Hop Dancer, Free-Lance Tonight Show Writer, and appears at comedy clubs, colleges, as well as public, private, and corporate events around the world.
Perry is Also the Star of "Drinking Beer and Smoking Cigarettes" On Youtube which garnered over a million views in 41 days. .
Credit
THEATRE
THE DYBUK
BETROTHED
OC PLAYHOUSE
TV
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT
SELF
UNKNOWN
LET'S MAKE A DEAL
SELF
UNKNOWN
EXTREME GONG
SELF
UNKNOWN
WE THE PEOPLE WITH GLORIA ALLRED
SELF
BYRON ALLEN
YOUR MOMENT OF TRUTH
SELF
UNKNOWN
BILL RAFFERTY'S GOOD TIME CAFE
SELF
UNKNOWN
AMERICA'S FUNNIEST PEOPLE
SELF
UNKNOWN
LOVE CONNECTION
SELF
UNKNOWN
MUSIC VIDEO
DRINKING BEER AND SMOKING CIGARETTES
STAR
JON LAJOIE
INDUSTRIALS
JAMES BOND FOR AT
JAMES BOND
UNKNOWN
RADIO
THE PERRY FUNNY SHOW
SELF
CHRIS SEAWARD
LIVE EVENTS
STAND UP COMEDIAN
SELF
.
Skills
Dance: Hip-Hop, Improvisational, Interpretive, Modern, Ka-razy
Singing: Gospel, Musical Theatre, R & B / Blues, Rap, Rock / Pop
Sports: Jet Skiing, Roller Skating, Rollerblading, Snorkeling, Swimming
Voice: Baritone, Bass, Bass / Baritone, Tenor
Musical Instruments: Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Guitar
Language: English
Accents: Chinese, French, Japanese, Middle Eastern, New York City, Russian, Spanish, Standard American, Standard British, Yiddish
Additional: Billiards, Bullwhip, Celebrity Voice Impressions, D.J. / Spinning, Dubbing, Hosting, Improvisation, Modeling, Motorcycle Riding, Newscasting, Speed Talking, Stand-up Comedy, Teleprompter, Ventriloquism, Voice Characterizations, Yo Yo