Harry Basil

Last updated
Harry Basil
Born
Education Bergenfield High School
Occupation Stand-up comedian
Employer The Laugh Factory in Las Vegas
Known for Impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Superman

Harry Basil is an American stand-up comedian 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]

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References

  1. Harry Basil Biography, Laugh Factory. Accessed March 18, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Katz, Bobbie. "Harry Basil: Gee, That's Funny!", Vegas Insider Daily, February 23, 2015. Accessed March 18, 2016. "Originally from Bergenfield, New Jersey, as a youngster, he turned his backyard into a film studio and shot dozens of super 8 action and horror films."
  3. Beckerman, Jim. "A revolutionary stage designer", The Record (Bergen County) , May 29, 2005. Accessed March 18, 2016. "'I guess we were just lucky,' says Charles Bogusat, festival co-founder and for 29 years teacher of the video production class (formerly called filmmaking class) at Bergenfield High School. 'Thom Fitzgerald, when he was a student, did this super-8 animated project about a bear, beautifully drawn, Bogusat remembers. Harry Basil did a film called 'Land Shark.'"
  4. Katsilometes, John. "Laugh Factory’s Harry Basil recalls stint with unprecedented comic lineup at Dunes", Las Vegas Sun , May 28, 2014. Accessed March 18, 2016.