Quality Balls: The David Steinberg Story

Americans have long depended on Canada for three things: oil, maple syrup and comedians. David Steinberg counts among Canada's biggest comedic exports. Born in Winnipeg, he attended Yeshiva in Chicago, abandoning his studies to join the legendary Second City. He never looked back. The film features priceless archival footage of his performances, including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, where he was second only to Bob Hope in the number of appearances and the standup shows that put him in the ranks of George Carlin and Richard Pryor. At times too controversial for US networks, his religious sermonettes generated more hate mail for CBS than any network had ever received, resulting in the cancellation of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. His directing credits are no less outstanding, including Seinfeld, Mad About You, Golden Girls and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Steinberg’s incredible career influenced a generation and now, after 25 years, he returns to the stage in this exceptional biography.

Documentary • 1hr 15min

5.6