Garry Shandling.

Garry Shandling was born on November 29, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in Tucson, Arizona. He came from a Jewish family with roots in Lithuania, Ukraine, Austria, Romania, and Poland. His older brother, Barry, died of cystic fibrosis in 1960, a formative loss. Shandling attended Palo Verde High School and later the University of Arizona, where he initially studied electrical engineering before graduating with a degree in marketing. He also completed a year of graduate study in creative writing.

A serious automobile accident in the late 1970s left him in critical condition. While recovering, he decided to become a stand-up comedian.

Shandling began his career as a television writer, writing episodes for Sanford and Son 1972 and Welcome Back, Kotter 1975. After his near-fatal car accident, he shifted to stand-up comedy, performing in clubs and earning a spot on The Tonight Show. His big break came in 1986 with It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, a meta-comedy series that broke the fourth wall. In 1992, he launched The Larry Sanders Show on HBO, a satirical behind-the-scenes look at a late-night talk show. The series earned him multiple Emmy nominations and two wins, including for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Shandling also appeared in films such as Iron Man 2 2010 as Senator Stern and Captain America: The Winter Soldier 2014. He turned down an offer to permanently host NBC’s Late Night after David Letterman’s departure, preferring to focus on his own show.

Shandling lived with actress Linda Doucett from 1987 to 1994; she later co-starred on The Larry Sanders Show. After their breakup, Doucett filed a lawsuit against Shandling for sex discrimination and sexual harassment. He sued his former manager Brad Grey over a dispute involving talents that Grey met through their business association. Shandling was a close friend of actress Dana Delany. His final television appearance was on a January 20, 2016 episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, during which he discussed his death and funeral wishes. He died three months later from a pulmonary embolism.

Garry Shandling’s The Larry Sanders Show revolutionized television comedy with its realistic, cynical portrayal of show business. The show earned him multiple Emmy Awards. His self-aware humor and willingness to deconstruct celebrity culture made him a unique figure in comedy. He is remembered for pioneering meta-comedy and creating the Emmy-winning sitcom The Larry Sanders Show.