Bob Einstein

Bob Einstein – Life, Career, and Memorable Quotes

Bob Einstein (1942–2019) was an American actor, writer, and comedian best known as Super Dave Osborne and Marty Funkhouser. Discover his biography, career highlights, comedic approach, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Bob Einstein—born Stewart Robert Einstein—was a singular figure in American comedy. Known for creating the absurd stuntman persona Super Dave Osborne and for his dry, deadpan performance as Marty Funkhouser on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Einstein’s work blended satire, physical comedy, and character absurdity. His career spanned more than five decades across television, variety shows, writing, and acting.

Though he passed away in 2019, his unique voice and unforgettable characters remain influential in the world of comedic performance.

Early Life and Background

• Born: November 20, 1942, in Los Angeles, California

• Birth name: Stewart Robert Einstein

• Family: His father was Harry Einstein (performing name Parkyakarkus), a noted radio comedian; his mother was Thelma Leeds.

• He was the older brother of Albert Brooks (real name Albert Lawrence Einstein), a respected comedian, actor, and filmmaker.

• He attended Chapman University, graduating in 1965.

Einstein grew up surrounded by show business, which cultivated his early exposure to comedy and performance.

Career and Major Works

Writing & Early Work

Bob Einstein began his career writing for television variety shows. One of his early breakthroughs was The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1969.

He also wrote for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and other variety shows.

In his earlier performer roles, he appeared in sketches, variety shows, and did bits such as the “Officer Judy” character.

The Creation of Super Dave Osborne

Einstein’s most enduring creation was the character Super Dave Osborne—a stuntman whose daring feats always ended in spectacular disaster, often shown with absurd fake injuries or props.

Super Dave first appeared on The John Byner Comedy Hour (1972); the character later became a regular on Bizarre and had his own series Super Dave from 1987 to 1991 (produced in Canada and aired on Showtime in the U.S.).

Additionally:

• An animated version, Super Dave: Daredevil for Hire, aired on Fox in 1992.

• In 2000, he starred in the film The Extreme Adventures of Super Dave, which he co-wrote.

• Even years later, Super Dave remained a recurring persona (e.g. Super Dave’s Spike Tacular).

The humor of Super Dave lay in the contrast between his confident, overblown self-image and the inevitable disastrous outcomes of his stunts.

Later Acting Roles & Character Work

Later in his career, Einstein did more conventional acting and character roles:

• Marty Funkhouser on Curb Your Enthusiasm, a grumpy, dry, and socially awkward but loyal friend of Larry David.

• Larry Middleman in Arrested Development (season 3).

• He appeared on Crank Yankers, Anger Management, and voice roles on shows like The Life & Times of Tim.

• In film, he had roles in Ocean’s Thirteen, Modern Romance, and others.

Einstein continued acting and making guest appearances up until about 2017.

Awards & Recognition

• He won two Emmy Awards (one for writing on Smothers Brothers, and another for Van Dyke and Company)

• He received a CableACE Award for his performance as Super Dave, among other nominations.

Style, Themes & Legacy

Bob Einstein’s comedic approach was distinctive:

• Satirical self-parody: His Super Dave persona exaggerated the bravado of stunt performers, making their failure part of the joke.

• Dry, deadpan delivery: Unlike broad slapstick comedians, Einstein leaned into understatement and contrast—he anticipated the disaster but delivered lines as though nothing was amiss.

• Character consistency: Whether in Super Dave or Marty Funkhouser, he inhabited characters with strong internal logic, even as absurdity surrounded them.

• Influence: Many later comedians and film/TV creators of meta or stunt/parody humor acknowledge inspiration (directly or indirectly) from the idea of “the hapless hero.”

• Cultural resonance: Super Dave became emblematic of the overconfident performer who always fails, giving comedians a template to lampoon ego and spectacle.

Einstein’s legacy is that he combined physical ridicule with satirical commentary—he ridiculed the very spectacle of performance through performance itself.

Famous Quotes by Bob Einstein

Here are some notable quotes that reflect his comedic sensibility:

“Laurel and Hardy have this love relationship. Why? This little Englishman screwed Hardy up, physically, every day of his life! Why is he with him the next day? It’s forgiving.” “I think what’s hysterically funny is a guy who sets himself up as the most confident, everything’s-perfect, know-it-all, things-are-swell human being and then gets wiped out every time.” “It always tickles me to think of the meetings Super Dave has after every show.” “Instead of eating, I do Botox. I have about 1,100 pounds of Botox all over my body. It's a body Botox and if it ever cracks, I’m in trouble.” “The whole character of Super Dave is a takeoff on people who pontificate. So one thing I never want to do is pontificate why this works, why this is funny. I have no idea what the appeal is. All we are trying to do is make people have a good time and laugh.”

These lines show his self-awareness, willingness to parody ego, and sense of humor about performance itself.

Lessons from Bob Einstein’s Life

From Einstein’s story and work, some takeaways include:

1. Carve your niche
   He found a rare voice by combining stunt parody with satire, rather than chasing conventional paths.

2. Commit to character
   Whether playing Super Dave or Funkhouser, he fully inhabited persona—even through absurdity.

3. Let failure be part of the joke
   His stunts always failed, but that failure was precisely the comedic point.

4. Balance writing and performing
   Einstein’s dual skills (writer + performer) allowed him control over the material and shaped the work itself.

5. Respect for audience intelligence
   His humor often invites the viewer to see layers—surface slapstick + deeper commentary on ego and spectacle.

Death & Remembrance

Bob Einstein passed away on January 2, 2019, at age 76, after a short battle with cancer. He died in Indian Wells, California.

Tributes poured in from peers; Larry David praised him for his embodiment of Marty Funkhouser and his unique comedic voice.

His website memorial also notes his status as an Emmy-Award winning writer, producer, and creator of Super Dave and other characters.

Though gone, Einstein’s characters live on in reruns, comedy retrospectives, and the influence he left on stunt parody and character comedy.