Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth

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Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth
Directed by Robert B. Weide
Written byRobert B. Weide
Produced by Sheila Nevins
Anthony Radziwill
Robert B. Weide
Starring Lenny Bruce (archival footage)
Steve Allen
Narrated by Robert De Niro
CinematographyBiff Bracht
Edited byGeof Bartz
Claire Scanlon
Robert B. Weide
Production
company
Whyaduck Productions
Distributed by HBO
Release date
  • October 21, 1998 (1998-10-21)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth is a 1998 documentary film directed by Robert B. Weide about the comedian Lenny Bruce. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Accolades

It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. [4] [5] The film was edited by Mr. Weide and Geof Bartz, A.C.E. who won a Primetime Emmy Award for their work on this film. [6]

Summary

The film was narrated by Robert De Niro. [7] [8] It featured interviews include Lenny's ex-wife Honey, mother Sally Marr and former TV host Steve Allen, [9] who had Bruce on his show a few times albeit clean unlike his nightclub stand-up jokes. [10]

It also featured audio recordings of and newspaper articles about some of Lenny's more controversial routines and archival footage of the comedian's early years, including his appearances on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and Playboy Penthouse [11] and his rare big screen effort: the 1953 exploitation film Dance Hall Racket . [12]

See also

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References

  1. "Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth". TVGuide.com. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  2. "TV Movie Review: 'Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth'". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on July 22, 2022.
  3. "The Full Lenny - SF Weekly". web.archive.org. September 17, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  4. Documentary Winners: 1999 Oscars , retrieved January 9, 2024
  5. "1999 | Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". www.oscars.org. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  6. "Lenny Bruce: Swear To Tell The Truth". Television Academy. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  7. "Whyaduck Productions, Inc. -- LA Times feature on "Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth"". www.duckprods.com. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  8. "Lenny Bruce Swear to Tell the Truth (1998) | BFI". web.archive.org. January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  9. "Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth". www.tcm.com. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  10. "Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth". Variety . November 5, 1998.
  11. Lenny Bruce Everywhere - Tablet Magazine
  12. By (August 6, 1999). "FILM TELLS TRAGIC STORY OF COMIC GREAT LENNY BRUCE". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 9, 2024.