Steve Sweeney | |
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Born | September 5, 1949 Charlestown, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Medium | Stand-up, Television, Film |
Years active | Early 70s - 1999 |
Genres | Observational comedy, Satire |
Notable works and roles | Park Street Under |
Steve Sweeney (born September 5, 1949) is an American comedian.
Sweeney was born in Charlestown, a section of Boston. His Boston accent and idiosyncratic mannerisms are trademarks of his stand-up act, headlining at comedy clubs across the country, including Caroline's Comedy Club in New York City.
A graduate of Charlestown High School, he earned a BA in Theatre Arts at the University of Massachusetts Boston (1974) and an MFA from the University of Southern California.
During the early 1970s, a small group of Boston 'would-be' comedians regularly performed at a comedy club started by Martin Olson and Barry Crimmins in a back room of Ding-Ho, a Chinese Restaurant near Inman Square in Cambridge, MA. This group included such unknowns as Lenny Clarke, Kevin Meaney, Jay Leno, Bobcat Goldthwait, Bill Sohonage, and Steven Wright. Steve Sweeney became known for his use of dialects and insight into the New England political scene in his act.
Steve was the first of the Boston super-stars to break into television, on Park Street Under, a Boston-based sitcom who many believe was the inspiration for the highly successful television show Cheers. He has appeared on shows such as the Late Show with David Letterman, Evening at The Improv, Comics Come Home and others. Some will recognize Steve from one of many small parts in films such as Rodney Dangerfield's Back to School, Judd Apatow's Celtic Pride, and There's Something About Mary with Ben Stiller.