Manny Dworman, 73, owner of the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village

[Hoodude]

Jan. 3, 2004

Manny Dworman, club owner, comics' mentor

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0103deaths03.html

NEW YORK - Manny Dworman, a nightclub owner, musician and long a
colorful fixture on the Greenwich Village scene, died Sunday at New
York Hospital in Manhattan. He was 73 and lived in Hartsdale, N.Y.

The cause was cancer, said Noam Dworman, his son.

A mentor to comedians, Dworman owned the Comedy Cellar, a 150-seat
basement club at 117 Macdougal St., and its upstairs adjunct, the
Olive Tree Cafe. The Comedy Cellar, established in 1980, was a
starting point for many contemporary comedians, including Ray Romano,
Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Jerry Seinfeld and Colin Quinn.

Dworman appeared as himself in the Seinfeld documentary Comedian
(2002). The club was renowned for its post-performance roundtable
discussions with comedians in the audience about political issues.
These exchanges inspired Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn on Comedy
Central.

Dworman opened the club in 1960 as a coffeehouse, which quickly became
a mecca for musicians. Six nights a week Dworman played the dual roles
of bandleader and performer.

A diminutive, wiry firebrand, Dworman also played oud, guitar and
mandolin, and with his ensemble, the Feenjon Group, he recorded five
albums.

Born Menachem Emanuel Dworman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Dworman came to the
United States when he was 8.

[varabu...@gmail.com]

Also survived by his sister Yedida Nielsen who deceased in Norwich VT 2009 at age 84
Also survived by his niece Varda Burns 71 and nephew Gidon Staff deceased 2015 at the age of 64 in Norwich, VT.