Mitzi Shore, owner of 'The Comedy Store,' dies at 87

Mitzi Shore was a businesswoman who launched many comedy greats. She recently passed away after suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Her son, Pauly Shore, encouraged the comics who had been influenced by his mother to share their stories on social media. She passed away on April 11, 2018, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Mitzi Shore died in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning at the age of 87. She was the founder of The Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip that was at its peak during the late 1970s and 1980s,

The establishment released a statement saying, ‘It is with great sadness and very heavy hearts that we report the passing of Mitzi Shore, the legendary Godmother of the world famous Comedy Store. Mitzi was an extraordinary businesswoman and decades ahead of her time who cultivated and celebrated the artistry of stand-up comedy.’

It carried on to say that Mitzi was also a loving mother, not only to her own four children but to many comedians who adored her. She left behind an indelible mark and legacy and would be missed dearly the statement read.

Mitzi had reportedly been in hospice care for some time according to Pop Culture. Pauly wrote on Twitter that he and Alfred, his mother’s caregiver, had taken her to The Comedy Store on Monday afternoon for her final goodbye.

‘Mom/Mitzi passed Early in the morning at 4.42 am she was 87 years old my heart lays heavy.’

Pauly Shore, Twitter, April 11, 2018

He shared that the maintenance man of 20 years, Juan Carlos, had the neon lights on for her, and her music was played. The comic and actor asked comedians and those whose lives were affected by The Comedy Store to share their stories via Twitter.

He shared that he wanted to share them with his mother at the end of her life. Pauly asked them to personalize the messages directly to his mother.

Mitzi took over the club in 1974 as part of a divorce settlement with her husband, comic Sammy Shore. Sammy had founded the business with comedian-writer Rudy De Luca.

Two years later, she took out a loan to buy the building. Richard Pryor, Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, Garry Shandling, Robin Williams, David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Roseanne Barr all launched their careers at the establishment.

Mitzi was a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin. She was a college student and working as a secretary at the Pine Point Resort in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, when she met her future husband.

He was the vacation spot's social director and a fledgling comic and she became his assistant. In the mid-1960s, the Shores moved to L.A. after Sammy landed a gig opening for singer Trini Lopez on the Sunset Strip.

The Comedy Store was popular but not profitable during its first few years. De Luca had stepped away to write for The Carol Burnett Show, and when Sammy left for weeks to perform in Las Vegas, Mitzi took over.

Comics would line the sidewalks for hours outside the club, looking to audition for Mitzi, who had the final say on who would perform. She is survived by her sons Pauly, Peter and Scott and a daughter, Sandi.