The legendary comedian and actor Mort Sahl passes away at the age of 94 on 26th October 2021 in Mill Valley, California. The news spread all over the internet and many fans expressed their condolence towards his family.
Sahl began his career in 1950 as a standup comedian and gained mainstream recognition in the 70s and 80s. Likewise, some of his notable film work credits are In Love and War, All the Young Men, Don't Make Waves, Inside the Third Reich, and The World of Jewish Humor.
Here we will talk more about Mort's career achievements and family.
His Life About: Who Was Mort Sahl?
Morton Lyon Sahl was born on 11th May 1927 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to Harry Sahl. He was born as the only child to Jewish parents.
He along with his parents relocated to Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a clerk and court reporter for the FBI. Sahl went to Belmont High School in Los Angeles and also wrote for the school's newspaper.
CAPTION: Late comedian and actor Mort Sahl passed away at the age of 94 on 26th October 2021 SOURCE: YouTube @TheEdSullivanShow After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces and was stationed in Alaska with the 93rd Air Depot Group. He was discharged in 1947 and attended Campton College.
He later enrolled at the University of Southern California and received a B.S. degree with majors in traffic engineering and city management in 1950.
Sahl's Career Highlights
Mort began his career as a stand-up comedian. From 1950 to 1953, he performed as a stand-up comedian in about 30 nightclubs throughout Los Angeles, California. He also rented an old theater with his friends and began writing and staging one-act plays.
Sadly, he and his friend became unable to attract a large enough audience and they ended up closing the theater. He landed his first steady job as a stand-up comedian in 1953 at a nightclub, hungry I which is located in San Francisco for $75 a week.
As of the 1990s, he performed less often and mostly in college auditoriums and theaters. In 2001, he was spotted by Woody Allen who asked him to come back to New York.
Sahl later performed at Joe's Pub in Manhattan to standing-room-only audiences. Similarly, he was ranked #40 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time.
In 2003, Mort received the Fifth Annual Alan King Award in American Jewish Humor from the National Foundation for Jewish Culture. In addition, the Library of Congress placed his 1955 recording, At Sunset, on the National Recording Registry in 2011.
Some of Sahl's film credits are Inside the Third Reich, Nothing Lasts Forever, Jonathan Winters: On the Ledge, Looking for Lenny, and Max Rose.
Who Was He Married To?
The late comedian-actor was married three times in his life. He was first married to his wife Sue Babior on 27th June 1955, however, the couple got divorced three years late in 1958.
CAPTION: Sahl with his second wife China Lee and their son Mort Sahl Jr. SOURCE: Instagram @robert_nedelkoff He then married his second wife actress-model China Lee on 30th October 1970. They welcomed their son, Mort Sahl Jr. who passed away at the age of 19 in 1996. Sadly Lee and Sahl also went separate ways in 1991.
Sahl married his third wife Kenslea Ann Motter in 1997 and parted ways in 2009 after 12 years of marriage.
Moreover, the comedian was also romantically linked with Julie Newmar and Tippi Hedren.
How Did Mort Sahl Die?
On 26th October 2021, Sahl passed away at the age of 94 at his home in Mill Valley, California, the United States. As per a source, he reportedly died of old age, however, the exact reason for death is not disclosed by the authorities at the moment.