Mitzi Shore — Founder of The Comedy Store and Influential Comedy Promoter

The Comedy Store and its features

Originally opened in 1972 by her then-husband, the club soon came under Mitzi Shore's leadership. Under her management the venue expanded into multiple rooms and late-night showcases. She established dedicated showcases that helped performers sharpen their material and stagecraft. In the late 1970s she created a separate performance space that highlighted female comics, providing a rare, regular showcase at a time when women were underrepresented in stand-up.

Influence and legacy

Through booking choices and hands-on guidance, Shore played a major role in launching many careers. The Comedy Store became a magnet for aspiring performers seeking exposure and industry attention. While the club was praised for nurturing talent, its policies and the economics of unpaid and paid performances also prompted debate among working comedians in the late 1970s and beyond, resulting in organized efforts to change conditions and compensation.

Notable names and family

Many well-known comedians honed their acts on the club's stages. Examples often associated with The Comedy Store include Robin Williams, Jay Leno, David Letterman and others who rose to national prominence after appearing there. Mitzi was also the mother of performer Pauly Shore, who later found fame as a comedian and actor.

Later ventures and death

Around 1982 she incorporated a company called Comedy Channel Inc. as part of her efforts to expand comedy enterprises. Mitzi Shore remained a prominent figure in comedy for decades. She died in West Hollywood, California, on April 11, 2018, at age 87 after complications related to Parkinson's disease. Her influence on the structure and culture of modern stand-up is widely acknowledged.

• Established venue: The Comedy Store, Los Angeles
• Birthplace: Green Bay, Wisconsin
• Illness: Parkinson's disease
• Place of death: West Hollywood, California