Mitzi Shore

Mitzi Shore was an American comedy club owner.

Shore and her husband, comedian Sammy Shore, co-founded The Comedy Store in 1972. When the couple divorced in 1974, Mitzi acquired complete ownership as part of their divorce settlement. She was not only involved in day-to-day management but, more significantly, in the recruitment and development of talent.

Through the club, she had a huge influence on the careers of up-and-coming comedians for decades, including Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Garry Shandling, Freddie Prinze, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Sam Kinison, Marc Maron, Andrew Dice Clay, and Jim Carrey.

Shore owned and operated Comedy Channel Inc. from 1982 until her death - a company established to create and sell video tapes of performances at The Comedy Store. In 1989, HBO launched its (ultimately ill-fated) premium cable service The Comedy Channel. Shore's suit claimed HBO's service was an "indirect unauthorized use" of the name and trademark Comedy Channel. Shore retained counsel and sued HBO for copyright infringement.

She is the mother of actor and comedian Pauly Shore.

Shore died April 11, 2018, in West Hollywood, California. She was 87.