Harry Basil | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Education | Bergenfield High School |
| Occupation(s) | Stand-up comedian, film director |
| Employer | The Laugh Factory in Las Vegas |
| Known for | Impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Superman |
Harry Basil is an American stand-up comedian, film director and comedy club operator, known for his impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Superman. As an actor, Basil appeared in the film Peggy Sue Got Married . His film credits include Meet Wally Sparks , which he co-wrote with Rodney Dangerfield. [1]
A native of Bergenfield, New Jersey, [2] Basil attended Bergenfield High School, where he made a student film called Land Shark. [3] As a high school student, Basil won a film award from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, as part of a presentation to him from director Otto Preminger. [2]
In May 1984, Basil got his major break as a stand-up comedian as part of a show at The Comedy Store in Las Vegas, where he appeared as part of a group that included future comedy performers Louie Anderson, Jim Carrey, Andrew Dice Clay, and Paul Rodriguez making their first appearances on a stage in Las Vegas. Basil is a partner in the Laugh Factory comedy club located at Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. [4]
As a film writer, Basil worked extensively with comedian Rodney Dangerfield, including such films as Meet Wally Sparks (1997), My 5 Wives (2000) The 4th Tenor (2002) and Back by Midnight (2005). Basil also directed the films Funky Monkey (2004), Cloud 9 , Soul's Midnight (2006), Fingerprints (2006), and Urban Decay (2007). [2]