Del Close

Born in Kansas to a father who suffered from mental illness and an alcoholic mother, Del Close's early life was, shall we say, less than idyllic. He ran away from home at 17, finding his way into theater and, eventually, the hallowed halls of Chicago's improv scene.

Close was a foundational figure at The Second City and later co-founded the ImprovOlympic theater. He mentored generations of comedic talent, including Bill Murray, Chris Farley, and Tina Fey, imparting his "truth in comedy" philosophy and the revolutionary concept of "the Harold." His influence is pervasive, even if his name isn't as widely recognized outside improv circles.

Despite his deep, often unsettling intellectualism and his propensity for the darkly absurd, there's no evidence that Close, who passed away in 1999, had any Jewish identity or origin. He did, however, kvell an entire generation of comedians into existence, which is, in its own way, a mighty good deed.