Carol Leifer

When it comes to the world of comedy, Long Island native Carol Leifer is a major "hyphen". As a stand-up comedian/writer/producer, Carol has paved a variety of paths in a field where not many female comedians have ventured.

Currently, Carol is penning pilots under deals with both Brad Gray Television and Big Ticket TV. Most recently, Carol served as the executive producer Ellen Degeneres' show "Ellen Again" and co-executive producer of the Dreamworks/ABC series "It's Like, You Know". Most notably, Carol served as a writer and supervising producer on HBO's critically acclaimed "The Larry Sanders Show" Prior to that, she spent three years writing for the enormously popular "Seinfeld". Notable episodes credited to her include "The Rye" and "The Lip Reader", with Marlee Matlin. Her outstanding work on the show led to both Writer's Guild and Emmy Award nominations.

Carol began her career as a stand up comedian in such well know Manhattan comedy clubs as the Comic Strip, Catch a Rising Star and the Improv. Her "big break" came when David Letterman unexpectedly showed up at the Comic Strip and caught one of her performances. His visit led to twenty-five appearances on NBC's "Late Night with David Letterman" In addition, Dave also produced Carol's 1988 Cinemax special entitled "Carol Doesn't Leifer Anymore".

Shortly thereafter, Carol wrote, produced and starred in three specials for Showtime: "Carol Leifer Comedy Cruise" (1989) "Really Big Shoo"... [MORE] When it comes to the world of comedy, Long Island native Carol Leifer is a major "hyphen". As a stand-up comedian/writer/producer, Carol has paved a variety of paths in a field where not many female comedians have ventured.

Currently, Carol is penning pilots under deals with both Brad Gray Television and Big Ticket TV. Most recently, Carol served as the executive producer Ellen Degeneres' show "Ellen Again" and co-executive producer of the Dreamworks/ABC series "It's Like, You Know". Most notably, Carol served as a writer and supervising producer on HBO's critically acclaimed "The Larry Sanders Show" Prior to that, she spent three years writing for the enormously popular "Seinfeld". Notable episodes credited to her include "The Rye" and "The Lip Reader", with Marlee Matlin. Her outstanding work on the show led to both Writer's Guild and Emmy Award nominations.

Carol began her career as a stand up comedian in such well know Manhattan comedy clubs as the Comic Strip, Catch a Rising Star and the Improv. Her "big break" came when David Letterman unexpectedly showed up at the Comic Strip and caught one of her performances. His visit led to twenty-five appearances on NBC's "Late Night with David Letterman" In addition, Dave also produced Carol's 1988 Cinemax special entitled "Carol Doesn't Leifer Anymore".

Shortly thereafter, Carol wrote, produced and starred in three specials for Showtime: "Carol Leifer Comedy Cruise" (1989) "Really Big Shoo" (1990) and "Gaudy and Bawdy and Blue" in 1992 which was nominated for three cable ACE awards. She also appeared in HBO's "Young Comedians Special" and the "Rodney Dangerfield Special".

One of Carol's greatest career dreams came true when she appeared with Johnny Carson on the & "Tonight Show". Her hosting duties have included four seasons of A&E's "Caroline's Comedy Hour", as well as guest stints on "Talk Soup" and "Later".

Despite her success in television, Carol has remained a fixture on the stand up circuit. "I've played every two-bit laugh shack across this great country of ours," she quips. One highlight of Carol's roadwork includes opening for Frank Sinatra at Bally's Las Vegas. He was quoted after the show as saying "I wish my mother had been that funny. I wouldn't have had to work so hard.