Being considered comedy royalty is already high praise for a comedian, but the upcoming HBO documentary The Super Bob Einstein Movie, which will air in late December, will show how Bob Einstein was one of the very pillars of American comedy, influencing a legion of well-regarded comedians of his time and later generations with his very peculiar sense of humour.
The documentary will follow Einstein’s meteoric rise to fame, from his unusual beginnings to the creation of television hits like The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and his death-defying stunts as famous alter ego Super Dave Osborne, who wasn’t afraid to push physical comedy to its extremes. Einstein was also a popular recurring character on the long-running comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm, where he frequently exchanged banter with creator and star Larry David.
Jerry Seinfeld, Susie Essman, David Letterman, Sarah Silverman, Norman Lear, Cheryl Hines, Jimmy Kimmel, Steve Martin, Patton Oswalt, Rob Reiner, JB Smoove, brothers Albert Brooks and Cliff Einstein, wife Berta, and daughter Erin were among those invited to speak about Einstein’s legacy and how he influenced them for The Super Bob Einstein Movie.
Bob Einstein was a fixture in comedy for nearly 50 years, appearing on everything from The Late Show with David Letterman to Arrested Development, and several times as his alter ego Super Dave. He died in early 2019 after being diagnosed with cancer, but as some comedians reveal in the trailer for The Super Bob Einstein Movie, he was well aware of his legacy and enjoyed honing his craft as much as he could.