George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, satirist, social critic, actor and author. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential comedians of all time, he was known for his stand-up routines, blending dark comedy and commentary on topics such as contemporary politics, the English language, psychology, and religion (especially Christianity).
Carlin was a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and hosted the first episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975. The first of his 14 stand-up comedy specials for HBO was filmed in 1977, broadcast as George Carlin at USC. From the late 1980s onward, Carlin's routines focused on sociocultural criticism of American society. He often commented on political issues and satirized American culture. His "seven dirty words" routine was central to the 1978 United States Supreme Court case FCC v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a 5–4 decision affirmed the government's power to censor indecent material on public airwaves.
Carlin released his first solo album, Take-Offs and Put-Ons, in 1966. He won five Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album, for FM & AM (1972), Jammin' in New York (1992), Brain Droppings (2001), Napalm and Silly Putty (2002), and It's Bad for Ya (2008). The lattermost was his final comedy special, filmed less than four months before his death from cardiac failure.
Carlin co-created and starred in the Fox sitcom The George Carlin Show (1994–1995). He is also known for his film performances in Car Wash (1976), Outrageous Fortune (1987), Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), The Prince of Tides (1991), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Scary Movie 3 (2003), and Jersey Girl (2004). He had voice roles as Zugor in Tarzan II, Fillmore in Cars (2006), Mr. Conductor on Shining Time Station (1991–1995), and the narrator on the American dubs of Thomas & Friends.
Carlin was posthumously awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2008. He placed second on Comedy Central's list of top 10 American comedians in 2004, while Rolling Stone magazine ranked him second on its list of the 50 best stand-up comedians of all time in 2017, in both cases behind Richard Pryor and ahead of Lenny Bruce.
George Denis Patrick Carlin was born at New York Hospital (now Weill Cornell Medical Center) in Lenox Hill, Manhattan on May 12, 1937, to Mary (née Bearey; 1896–1984) and Patrick John Carlin (1888–1945). He had an older brother, Patrick Jr. (1931–2022), who had a major influence on his comedy and was sometimes involved. Carlin called himself "fully Irish"; his mother was born in New York to Irish immigrants and his father was an Irish immigrant from Cloghan, County Donegal. In his autobiography Last Words, he wrote about a fantasy of Ireland he often had when his first wife was alive: "The southeastern parts so that it would be a little warmer, and the two of us there, close enough to Dublin that you could go buy things you needed." Carlin's maternal grandfather was a police officer for the New York City Police Department (NYPD) who wrote out the works of William Shakespeare by hand for fun. Carlin's parents separated when he was two months old because his father was an alcoholic, who—according to Carlin—was "never around". His mother raised him and his brother on her own. When Carlin was eight years old, his father died.
Carlin said that he picked up an appreciation for effective use of the English language from his mother, though they had a difficult relationship and he often ran away from home. He grew up at 519 West 121st Street, in Manhattan's Morningside Heights neighborhood, which he and his friends called "White Harlem" because it "sounded a lot tougher than its real name." He attended Corpus Christi School, a Catholic parish school of the Corpus Christi Church in Morningside Heights. One of Carlin's closest childhood friends was Randy Jurgensen, who became one of the most decorated homicide detectives in NYPD history. His mother had a television, which was new at the time, and Carlin became a fan of the pioneering late-night talk show Broadway Open House. He went to Cardinal Hayes High School but was kicked out at age 15, after three semesters. He briefly attended Bishop Dubois High School in Harlem and Salesian High School in Goshen. He spent many summers at Camp Notre Dame in Spofford, New Hampshire, where he regularly won the camp's drama award; upon his death, some of his ashes were scattered at Spofford Lake in accordance with his request.
Carlin idolized Danny Kaye and wanted to become a comedic actor like him. In interviews he spoke of his regret at not attaining this boyhood dream and took on more acting roles towards the end of his life.
Carlin joined the U.S. Air Force and was trained as a radar technician. He was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, Louisiana, and began working as a DJ at radio station KJOE in nearby Shreveport in July 1956. Called an "unproductive airman" by his superiors, he received a general discharge on July 29, 1957. During his time in the Air Force, he was court-martialed three times and received many nonjudicial punishments and reprimands.
1959–1969: Early work and breakthrough
In 1959, Carlin met Jack Burns, a fellow DJ at radio station KXOL in Fort Worth, Texas. They formed a comedy team and after successful performances at Fort Worth's beat coffeehouse The Cellar, Burns and Carlin headed for California in February 1960.
Within weeks of arriving in California, Burns and Carlin put together an audition tape and created The Wright Brothers, a morning show on KDAY in Hollywood. During their tenure at KDAY, they honed their material in beatnik coffeehouses at night. Years later, when he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Carlin requested that it be placed in front of the KDAY studios near the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street. Burns and Carlin recorded their only album, Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club Tonight, in May 1960 at Cosmo Alley in Hollywood. After two years as a team, they parted to pursue individual careers, but "remain[ed] the best of friends".
In the 1960s, Carlin began appearing on television variety shows, where he played various characters, including a Native American sergeant, a stupid radio disc jockey, and a hippie weatherman. Variations on these routines appear on his 1967 debut album, Take-Offs and Put-Ons, which was recorded live in 1966 at The Roostertail in Detroit and issued by RCA Victor in 1967. During this period, Carlin appeared on Tonight Starring Jack Paar before becoming a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He was one of Johnny Carson's most frequent substitutes during his three-decade tenure. Carlin was also cast as a co-host alongside Buddy Greco in Away We Go, a 1967 CBS comedy-variety show, which was the summer replacement for The Jackie Gleason Show. His material during his early career and his appearance—he wore suits and had short-cropped hair—was seen as conventional, particularly compared to his later anti-establishment material.
Carlin was present at Lenny Bruce's arrest for obscenity at the Gate of Horn club in Chicago on December 5, 1962. As the police began detaining audience members for questioning, they asked Carlin for identification. After responding that he did not believe in government-issued IDs, Carlin was arrested and taken to jail with Bruce in the same vehicle.
In the late 1960s, Carlin made about $250,000 annually. In 1970, he changed his routines and his appearance; he grew his hair long, sported a beard and earrings, and typically dressed in T-shirts and blue jeans. He lost some TV bookings by dressing strangely for a comedian at a time when clean-cut, well-dressed comedians were the norm. He hired talent managers Jeff Wald and Ron De Blasio to help him change his image, making him look more "hip" for a younger audience. Wald put Carlin into much smaller clubs such as The Troubadour in West Hollywood and The Bitter End in New York City, and later said that Carlin's income declined by 90% but his later career arc was greatly improved.