Garry Goodrow
Garry Goodrow was a founding member of The Committee, the San Francisco-based satirical improvisational group formed in the early 1960s as an offshoot of Chicago's Second City, which emphasized audience-driven improv and political satire during the countercultural era. He originated the role of Ernie, a jazz musician and heroin addict, in Jack Gelber's Obie Award-winning play The Connection at the Living Theatre in 1959, and reprised the role in Shirley Clarke's 1961 film adaptation. His early immersion in jazz performance informed his approach to improvisational work, and he later contributed writing to National Lampoon's Lemmings (1973) and joined the anti-war FTA Tour alongside Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, and Howard Hesseman.
Recommended Reading
Books are ordered from the strongest direct connection outward to broader relevance.
Something Wonderful Right Away
An Oral History of The Second City and The Compass Players
Jeffrey Sweet
The Funniest One in the Room
The Lives and Legends of Del Close
Kim Howard Johnson
Improv Nation
How We Made a Great American Art
Sam Wasson
Art by Committee
A Guide to Advanced Improvisation
Charna Halpern
The Second City Almanac of Improvisation
Anne Libera
Impro
Improvisation and the Theatre
Keith Johnstone
References
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Garry Goodrow. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/people/garry-goodrow
The Improv Archive. "Garry Goodrow." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/people/garry-goodrow.
The Improv Archive. "Garry Goodrow." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/people/garry-goodrow. Accessed October 24, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.