Robert Wachs also managed Eddie Murphy

Robert Wachs, one of the founding fathers of the New York comedy scene, has died at the aged of 73.

A former entertainment lawyer, he was one of the founders of The Comic Strip in 1975.

The venue gave stage time to Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and others early in their career.

Wachs said that when he first saw Murphy at the club: ‘His material wasn’t out of this world, but he had great presence.’

He went on to manage Murphy for more than a decade, producing his stand-up specials Delirious and Raw and getting a writing credit on Beverly Hills Cop II.

In the book Make ‘Em Laugh, about the history of The Comic Strip, Seinfeld recalled: ‘We kind of thought of Bob as a real powerbroker in the upper echelons of showbusiness.’

‘We knew he was making very important phone calls in a beautiful office somewhere. He was definitely not down here in the swamp with us! He was moving big pieces around.’

In the same book, Rock said: ‘People were afraid of Wachs.’

Wachs is survived by his wife, Tess, who confirmed his death to the New York Times, plus two children and four grandchildren.

Published: 9 Dec 2013