Albert Brooks Recalls His Comedian Father's Death Onstage: 'They Took Him Backstage and Cut Him Open with a Pen Knife'

Mar. 15, 2025

Albert Brooks, Harry Einstein in “Strike Me Pink”.Photo:Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; TCD/Prod.DB / AlamyAlbert Brooks is looking back at his comedian father’s death.At the HBO and Max Emmy Nominee Celebration on Sunday, Aug. 11, the actor, 77, recalled the night that his dad Harry Einstein died after performing stand-up routine atLucille Ball’s induction into the Frairs Club in 1958.“Then he sat down at the desk and he died,” directorRob Reineradded. “Just died like that."“And people say, ‘Why don’t you do stand up?’” Brooks joked.Albert Brooks and Harry Einstein on the set of “Strike Me Pink”.Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Glasshouse Images/ShutterstockTalking about hisEmmy-nominateddocumentary,Albert Brooks: Defending My Life,the comedian said the aftermath of his father’s death actually became a joke he has told throughout his career.“So there was a very famous singer named Tony Martin — older generation, but he had the number one song in the country at that time — and Milton Berle was there when my father dropped his head,” he explained. “It was at the Beverly Hilton. They said, ‘Is there a doctor in the house?’ A third of the audience came up and they took him backstage and they literally cut them open with a pen knife and tried to [save him]. Nothing worked.”He continued: “But Milton Berle was still Mr. Show Business, and the audience was sitting there stunned, and Milton Berle was going, ‘What do we do?’ He said to Tony Martin, ‘Get up there, sing your hit.’ And Tony Martin got up and he sang and his hit was called, ‘There’s No Tomorrow.’”Brooks couldn’t help but point out the irony of that song playing as his dad died, noting that comedy followed his father everywhere.Tony Martin singing on NBC Radio’s George Burns and Gracie Allen programme, 7th July 1937.FPG/Hulton Archive/GettyLater, once again on the topic of their comedian parents, Reiner and Brooks discussed how their friendship began — with a lie.“We were introducing ourselves in a drama class, and I’m in the front and Rob’s in the back,” Brooks remembered. “I came up to him after the class, and three weeks earlier I went to see his father at the Paley Center. And I didn’t know what to say to him. I said, ‘Sir, you’re from New York?’ [He said] ‘Yeah.’ ‘Well, welcome to LA. You want to be in show business?’ I said, ‘Well, I know Carl Reiner.’”“And he said, ‘I do, too. He’s my dad,’” he concluded as the two burst out in laughter.Albert Brooks at the HBO | Max Emmy Nominee Celebration Panel for “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life + Conan O’Brien Must Go” held at NYA East on August 11, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Michael Buckner/Variety/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Reiner said that he and Brooks “became friends right away,” later moving into a house together. Their friendship was unique as they did nearly everything together, they said.“We had two entrances, his was downstairs  — it was like a duplex — and I had one upstairs,” Reiner shared. “I had a phone up there, he had his own phone. And, sometimes, whenever I brought a girl over there and we’d be finished, I’d hear the phone ring in the room. And he’d say, ‘Are you done?’ And I’d say, ‘Yeah.’ He’d say, ‘You want to get something to eat?’ That’s the kind of relationship we had.”

Albert Brooks, Harry Einstein in “Strike Me Pink”.Photo:Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; TCD/Prod.DB / Alamy

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; TCD/Prod.DB / Alamy

Albert Brooks is looking back at his comedian father’s death.At the HBO and Max Emmy Nominee Celebration on Sunday, Aug. 11, the actor, 77, recalled the night that his dad Harry Einstein died after performing stand-up routine atLucille Ball’s induction into the Frairs Club in 1958.“Then he sat down at the desk and he died,” directorRob Reineradded. “Just died like that."“And people say, ‘Why don’t you do stand up?’” Brooks joked.Albert Brooks and Harry Einstein on the set of “Strike Me Pink”.Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Glasshouse Images/ShutterstockTalking about hisEmmy-nominateddocumentary,Albert Brooks: Defending My Life,the comedian said the aftermath of his father’s death actually became a joke he has told throughout his career.“So there was a very famous singer named Tony Martin — older generation, but he had the number one song in the country at that time — and Milton Berle was there when my father dropped his head,” he explained. “It was at the Beverly Hilton. They said, ‘Is there a doctor in the house?’ A third of the audience came up and they took him backstage and they literally cut them open with a pen knife and tried to [save him]. Nothing worked.”He continued: “But Milton Berle was still Mr. Show Business, and the audience was sitting there stunned, and Milton Berle was going, ‘What do we do?’ He said to Tony Martin, ‘Get up there, sing your hit.’ And Tony Martin got up and he sang and his hit was called, ‘There’s No Tomorrow.’”Brooks couldn’t help but point out the irony of that song playing as his dad died, noting that comedy followed his father everywhere.Tony Martin singing on NBC Radio’s George Burns and Gracie Allen programme, 7th July 1937.FPG/Hulton Archive/GettyLater, once again on the topic of their comedian parents, Reiner and Brooks discussed how their friendship began — with a lie.“We were introducing ourselves in a drama class, and I’m in the front and Rob’s in the back,” Brooks remembered. “I came up to him after the class, and three weeks earlier I went to see his father at the Paley Center. And I didn’t know what to say to him. I said, ‘Sir, you’re from New York?’ [He said] ‘Yeah.’ ‘Well, welcome to LA. You want to be in show business?’ I said, ‘Well, I know Carl Reiner.’”“And he said, ‘I do, too. He’s my dad,’” he concluded as the two burst out in laughter.Albert Brooks at the HBO | Max Emmy Nominee Celebration Panel for “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life + Conan O’Brien Must Go” held at NYA East on August 11, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Michael Buckner/Variety/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Reiner said that he and Brooks “became friends right away,” later moving into a house together. Their friendship was unique as they did nearly everything together, they said.“We had two entrances, his was downstairs  — it was like a duplex — and I had one upstairs,” Reiner shared. “I had a phone up there, he had his own phone. And, sometimes, whenever I brought a girl over there and we’d be finished, I’d hear the phone ring in the room. And he’d say, ‘Are you done?’ And I’d say, ‘Yeah.’ He’d say, ‘You want to get something to eat?’ That’s the kind of relationship we had.”

Albert Brooks is looking back at his comedian father’s death.

At the HBO and Max Emmy Nominee Celebration on Sunday, Aug. 11, the actor, 77, recalled the night that his dad Harry Einstein died after performing stand-up routine atLucille Ball’s induction into the Frairs Club in 1958.

“Then he sat down at the desk and he died,” directorRob Reineradded. “Just died like that."

“And people say, ‘Why don’t you do stand up?’” Brooks joked.

Albert Brooks and Harry Einstein on the set of “Strike Me Pink”.Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Glasshouse Images/Shutterstock

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Glasshouse Images/Shutterstock

Talking about hisEmmy-nominateddocumentary,Albert Brooks: Defending My Life,the comedian said the aftermath of his father’s death actually became a joke he has told throughout his career.

“So there was a very famous singer named Tony Martin — older generation, but he had the number one song in the country at that time — and Milton Berle was there when my father dropped his head,” he explained. “It was at the Beverly Hilton. They said, ‘Is there a doctor in the house?’ A third of the audience came up and they took him backstage and they literally cut them open with a pen knife and tried to [save him]. Nothing worked.”

He continued: “But Milton Berle was still Mr. Show Business, and the audience was sitting there stunned, and Milton Berle was going, ‘What do we do?’ He said to Tony Martin, ‘Get up there, sing your hit.’ And Tony Martin got up and he sang and his hit was called, ‘There’s No Tomorrow.’”

Brooks couldn’t help but point out the irony of that song playing as his dad died, noting that comedy followed his father everywhere.

Tony Martin singing on NBC Radio’s George Burns and Gracie Allen programme, 7th July 1937.FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty

FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty

Later, once again on the topic of their comedian parents, Reiner and Brooks discussed how their friendship began — with a lie.

“We were introducing ourselves in a drama class, and I’m in the front and Rob’s in the back,” Brooks remembered. “I came up to him after the class, and three weeks earlier I went to see his father at the Paley Center. And I didn’t know what to say to him. I said, ‘Sir, you’re from New York?’ [He said] ‘Yeah.’ ‘Well, welcome to LA. You want to be in show business?’ I said, ‘Well, I know Carl Reiner.’”

“And he said, ‘I do, too. He’s my dad,’” he concluded as the two burst out in laughter.

Albert Brooks at the HBO | Max Emmy Nominee Celebration Panel for “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life + Conan O’Brien Must Go” held at NYA East on August 11, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty

Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Reiner said that he and Brooks “became friends right away,” later moving into a house together. Their friendship was unique as they did nearly everything together, they said.

“We had two entrances, his was downstairs  — it was like a duplex — and I had one upstairs,” Reiner shared. “I had a phone up there, he had his own phone. And, sometimes, whenever I brought a girl over there and we’d be finished, I’d hear the phone ring in the room. And he’d say, ‘Are you done?’ And I’d say, ‘Yeah.’ He’d say, ‘You want to get something to eat?’ That’s the kind of relationship we had.”

source: people.com