The Second City : backstage at the world's greatest comedy theater /
Sheldon Patinkin ; narrated by Robert Klein.
- Naperville, Ill. : Sourcebooks, c2000.
- xiii, 200 p. : ill. ; 28 cm. + 2 sound discs (digital ; 4 3/4 in.)
Intro / Everybody's in the know / Football comes to the University of Chicago / Our children / Cab stand / Mary Smith / Believe it or not / Lenny Bruce / The narcs / Brest Litovsk / V.D. / I quit / Issues and alibis / White Horse Tavern / Rabbi / Bill Murray-- Barbara Harris -- Alan Arkin, Severn Darden, Andrew Duncan, Eugene Troobnick -- Joan Rivers, Bill Alton -- Avery Schreiber, Jack Burns -- Fred Willard -- Robert Klein, Fred Willard -- Del Close, Avery Schreiber -- Brian Doyle-Murray -- John Belushi, Joe Flaherty -- Harold Ramis, David Rasche, Eugenie Ross-Leming -- Dan Ackroyd, John Candy, Rosemary Radcliffe -- Bill Murray, George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, Danny Breen, Bruce Jarchow -- Jim Belushi, Will Porter Aldis -- Martin Short. Disc 1. SCTV montage / School closings / Airline check-in / Vendor / On hold / 1812 / Motivational speaker / Jesus / Gump / Glass Mamet / Wicked / Dirty doctor / Gourds / Lord's prayer / Sportz / Good night song / John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Dave Thomas -- Tim Kazurinsky, Bruce Jarchow -- George Wendt, Mindy Bell -- Jim Fay -- Bonnie Hunt, Steve Assad -- Mike Myers, Mark Wilson -- Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Bob Odenkirk, Jill Talley, Holly Wortell -- Paul Dinello, Amy Sedaris -- Scott Adsit, Adam McKay -- Melody Johnson, Bob Martin, Jack Mosshammer -- Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey -- Matt Dwyer, Tami Sagher -- Craig Cackowski, David Pompeii -- Kevin Dorff, TJ Jagodowski, Stephanie Weir, Susan Messing, Tami Sagher, Rich Talarico -- Kevin Dorff, Ed Furman -- Cast: Ed Asner, Shelley Berman, Severn Darden, David Steinberg, Martin Short, Richard Kind, Betty Thomas, George Wendt. Disc 2.
Since 1959, The Second City has been producing cutting-edge satire and wickedly funny improvisation, while keeping countless individuals of questionable character off the streets for a couple of hours each night. It has also trained thousands of young performers in the art of improv-based theater. This book recounts the early years of the comedy troupe's biggest stars, including John Belushi, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, Gilda Radner, Alan Arkin, Joan Rivers, David Steinberg, Robert Klein, Chris Farley, Martin Short and John Candy, as well as some of today's hottest directors, like Harold Ramis, Mike Nichols, Betty Thomas and Bonnie Hunt. Author Sheldon Patinkin, one of Second City's founding fathers, tells the story of Second City like no else can--with rare photos, profiles and backstage stories you were never supposed to hear.--From publisher description.