Long time comedy Manager Marty Fischer, CEO of Goldstar Entertainment, COO of National Lampoon Comedy House and former President of the New York Improv, passed away last Monday, Sept. 22 of a heart attack. He was only 62 years old.

Marty was an old friend who specialized in comedy management for more than 15 years. The first time I remember meeting Marty was up in Montreal at the Just For Laughs Festival where he was with a client, ventriloquist Willie Tyler and Lester (the dummy).  We shared a table, … all four of us.  Marty stuck Lester with the bill! (LOL)

Marty’s clients worked all the major clubs, and TV shows, and he had friends in every area of entertainment.  Besides producing shows in New York, he also produced shows in Atlantic City, and Las Vegas as well as fundraisers and corporate events. In 2006, he produced the Original Las Vegas Comedy Festival out of which came the New York Comedy Expo.

Marty was at the helm of The Las Vegas Comedy Festival again in January, 2007 and brought the second annual New York Comedy Expo to Al Martin’s Broadway Comedy Club in May, 2007. He recently became COO of National Lampoon Comedy House and was set to open shortly in the TGIF restaurant on 50th Street and Broadway in Manhattan.

What I will remember most about Marty was his love for the business, his kindness, and his annual holiday parties where he always had enough food to feed an army.  And you never knew who’d show up, from film star Danny Aiello, and comedy legend Joe Franklin to film director Abel Ferrara, who I ran into at Marty’s last holiday party, in December of ’07.  The party was at Marty’s friend Tommy Cee’s place, La Mela Restaurant, in Little Italy, and everyone had a great time.   Marty was always a gracious host.

Marty produced the Laugh Across America event at The Laugh Factory during NATPE TV Producers Boot Camp in 2006, a fundraiser for NY Families with Autistic Children in May, 2007, and a benefit for actor/comedian Ray Garvey in May, 2008.

Marty had survived a heart attack last year, and recovered nicely.  His passing came as a total surprise, especially because he had been looking so healthy as of late.

The photo I’m posting was taken at Marty’s holiday party in 2004, showing some of the people he was working with at the time, including (l-r) Shevy Berk, Rick Younger, Ed Cho, Sherry Davey,  Karith Foster, now the co-host of the Imus Show, standing right next to Marty, and Matty Goldberg in front.

Marty is survived by a daughter Robin with two children, a son, a sister and an ex-wife. He will be missed by all who knew him.