Henny Youngman Biography

Henny Youngman was one of the most famous stand-up comedians of post-vaudeville America. Columnist Walter Winchell dubbed him “the king of the one-liners,” a tribute to Youngman’s rapid-fire style. Henny Youngman got his start as a violinist, and he often carried a violin on stage with him as a prop. Among his most famous lines were “I was so ugly when I was born, the doctor slapped my mother,” and “Take my wife — please!” His 1991 autobiography was titled Take My Life, Please!