George Shapiro, Seinfeld’s entrepreneur and producer, dies at 91

George Shapiro, a Bronx-born personal manager and comedy champion, has teamed up with his late business partner Howard West to present a cult comedy. Seinfeld On television, he died. He was 91 years old.

Shapiro died of natural causes Thursday night at his home in Beverly Hills, a publicist said.

Shapiro and West also assisted Carl Rainer, Andy Kaufmann, Peter Bonerz, Marty Feldman, Gabe Kaplan, Robert Woolley, Bill Persk and Sam Denoff, Austin and Irma Kalisch, Dick Claire and Jenna McMahon, Sam Bobrick and

The couple they met in elementary school in the Bronx PS 80 was the main SeinfeldHe served as an executive producer on the NBC show, which ran from 1989 to 1998. His relationship with Jerry Seinfeld began at the Los Angeles Comedy Clubs, and the trio were among those who shared the 1993 Emmy’s Outstanding Comedy Series.

They recently joined Seinfeld’s Comedians drink coffee in cars.

Born May 18, 1931, Shapiro brought his love of laughter to his childhood in PS 80 and a group of friends including West.

“What the new kid at school was like when he just moved from another part of the Bronx,” he once recalls. “Howie was alone in the schoolyard, sitting on a ladder at one of the school’s entrances. They invited me and my friends to play basketball, stickball, board games and football with me. It was love at first sight and from that day on we became best friends. We were partners in buying comics, we bought the first car together.”

In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation website in 2007, Shapiro said he was looking forward to Saturday’s double films at his neighborhood theater, but was more excited about the comedy films.

“I could barely sleep the night before when I knew the Abbott & Costello movie was coming out, or Laurel & Hardy,” he said. “I was sitting in the theater and I felt like someone was arguing with me because I was laughing so hard. “Even without thinking about it, I think I was drawn to being around fun people.”

Shapiro spent the summer as a lifeguard at the Tamiment Resort in the Poconos, where he met artists like Dick Shawn, Pat Carroll, Carol Burnett, Barbara Cook, future director Herbert Ross, and high-profile agents as well.

“I didn’t even know who the agent was, but they came to see the show, talk to the girls, talk to the comedians,” he recalls. “I said, ‘Is it any of your business?’ See the show, have a nice dinner, come to the lakeside resort? I have to take care of it.”

After graduating from New York University and serving in the US Army, Shapiro was hired to work at the William Morris Post Office in New York, through a relationship with Rainer, and became the agency’s junior agent in the packaging department. , earning $38 a week. He hired West to join him.

Shapiro realized that the big comedy shows and performances were moving to Hollywood, so he started gossiping about William Morris moving to the Los Angeles office. His self-fulfilling prophecy came true, and the West came naturally.

In Los Angeles, Shapiro amassed talent for television shows such as Steve Allen concert, that girl s Gomer Stack, USMC And for special titles from Dick Van Dick, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Channing.

In 1973, Shapiro left William Morris and formed Shapiro/West Associates with his friend.

Shapiro was Kaufman’s personal manager for many years, landing a contract that brought the comedian to ABC. Taxi. He is also an executive producer. Andy’s Playhouse ABC special in 1979 and Andy Kaufman at Carnegie Hall For a special show in 1980.

Shapiro has produced other television productions under the titles of Seinfeld and Elaine Busler, and has directed animated versions of classics by Rainer and Mel Brooks. 2000 men Routine.

Shapiro and West are executive producers for Milos Forman. man on the moon (1999), as Jim Carrey Kaufman. (When Danny DeVito played him in the movie, Shapiro appeared as the club owner who fired Kaufman early in his career, while West played the network executive.)

Other features produced by Shapiro include: summer rental (1985), starring John Candy and Rip Thorne and summer school (1987), starring Mark Harmon and Kirsty Ali.

He also made documentaries like Funny (2001) depicting Seinfeld’s return to the stand-up scene; the bronx boys (2003); Bronx boys still play at 80 (2013); If you’re not on Obit, have breakfast (2017), Lead Rainer; s Super Bob Einstein movie (2021).

2019 documentary bronx, united states He followed Shapiro on his way back to his hometown, exploring the streets, shops and memories of his youth, and reflecting on close friendships that have endured over time.

“Laughter is amazing, it’s strong,” he used to say.

Survived by Melody Shapiro, his longtime friend and mother of his children, his son Danny and his wife Hester; her daughter Kerry and husband Mark; And Stephanie, and her grandchildren Adam, Nathan, Audrey, Skylard and Alana.

A funeral will be announced. Donations can be made in her memory and donated to the Festival Foundation through the California Community Foundation.