Rita Rudner

Rita Rudner is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and author born in Miami, Florida. Initially training as a ballet dancer, she began her career appearing in several Broadway musicals, including Follies and Annie, before pivoting to stand-up comedy in the late 1970s. She rose to national prominence in the 1980s through frequent appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and multiple award-winning HBO specials, such as Born to Be Mild. Recognized for her clean, epigrammatic one-liners and gentle deadpan style, she established a historic solo comedy residency in Las Vegas, selling nearly two million tickets, and frequently collaborates with her husband, Martin Bergman, on films like Peter's Friends and various theatrical productions.