AUTUMN, 1980  The comedy Store hosts the Second Annual HBO Young comedians special.  Carl Reiner hosts, and Pee wee Herman "breaks out" at this show.

MAY, 1981  Mitzi produces her first special "The Comedy Store Live with Buddy Rich And His Band" Mitzi liked the idea of continuing the Big Band tradition in the Mainroom and Buddy Rich was the town's favorite.  His success during several nights of his own band's show in the Mainroom led Mitzi to combine his band with her best young comics on a TV Special that is aired in many outlets to this day.  Buddy's rendition of "Birdland" would become Mitzi's notion of the official Comedy Store theme song.  The rendition is as immortal as the talents of the late great Buddy Rich.

 APRIL, 1982  "Live from The Comedy Store" - Mitzi combines sketches with a live show to feature a "typical evening" at The Comedy Store. 

JUNE, 1982  We open a restaurant across the street, and open the production offices on the second floor.  This restaurant thrives until Mitzi catches the accountant stealing two chickens.  End of restaurant.  

MARCH, 1983  The Comedy Store's 11th Anniversary Show on HBO is Mitzi's first major network full-length production.  Marty Caller directs her first great significant piece, as HBO celebrates both the greats and the newcomers of this period.

SEPTEMBER, 1983  A huge fire next door next door fails to touch The Comedy Store because it occurs on the one night of the entire summer that the wind is blowing the other way.  Richard Pryor, onstage during the alarm, calmly directs a roomful out of the Mainroom as a precaution.  Honest!  It wasn't his material, really.

SEPTEMBER, 1983  Mitzi finishes the remodeling of the Belly Room, which is now neon lit and chi-chi styled.

FALL, 1983  Mitzi's first "Girls of The Comedy Store" goes into production for the Playboy Channel.  Mitzi gets to co-write all the sketches and begins to realize her creative needs.

SPRING, 1985  Mitzi opens a Comedy Store in Honolulu, at Waikiki beach's Reef Hotel, a move which her comics felt to be one of her greatest ideas.  Unfortunately, so did an employee of Mitzi's who hijacked the operation from The Comedy Store in June.  End of Hawaii.

JUNE, 1985  The Belly Headliner Room is established, allowing seasoned comics to showcase their talents for the entire industry.

SUMMER, 1985  Whoopi Goldberg uses The Belly Headliner Room for show business industry showcases.  Her movies result.

JULY 4th, 1986  Yakov Smirnoff is sworn in as a U.S. citizen at the Statue of Liberty Celebration by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. 

JUNE THRU DECEMBER, 1986  Mitzi films seven TV pilots in a unique form of packaging - 10 minute segments, shown one after another like colors on a pinwheel.

During this period, Sam Kinison begins packing the Mainroom on Sunday nights, with his special brand of insanity.

JANUARY, 1987  The Comedy Store at The Sheraton Premiere Hotel opens up in Universal City, which soon converts to The Sheraton Universal Comedy Store, which opens in May of 1987 amid great media hoopla.

 

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