Comedian Lenny Bruce, best known for his irreverent humor, died August 3, 1966. He was 40.

Bruce was born Leonard Alfred Schneider on October 13, 1925 in Mineola, New York. Bruce’s childhood was unconventional. He attended six grade schools in six years, and was heavily influenced by his mother, who, among other things, operated a dance studio and adult escort service.

Bruce left home at age 16, and joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. He was disenchanted with the military and dressed up like a female to obtain a discharge, which he got.

After his release, he returned to Brooklyn, New York to live with his mother who was performing a comedy nightclub act.

During one of the performances, Bruce became a stand-in master of ceremonies, and was able to make the audience laugh at his ad-libs. He later did impressions of famous stars and won an Arthur Godfrey talent contest in 1947.

Bruce set aside his show business career when he joined the U.S. Merchant Marines. At his various ports of call, he began gathering fodder for his future nightclub acts to include irreverent humor, which bordered on the obscene.

He married Harriet Harlowe in 1951. He and his wife hit the nightclub circuit. She was an exotic dancer and he a stand-up comic.

The couple had one child, a daughter in 1955. They divorced in 1957.

Bruce’s nightclub became more profane and obscene, as he made fun of most American traditions. Despite his reputation, he played to large audiences, including Carnegie Hall in the early 1960’s.

He was convicted of obscenity charges in 1964, and died of a drug overdose in Hollywood on August 3, 1966.