Murray Roman

Murray Roman (March 8, 1929 – November 6, 1973) was an American stand-up comedian, television writer, and Broadway performer. His career ended prematurely following a car crash.

Roman made his Broadway appearance in 1962 in Night Life. Alongside his stage work, he built a career in stand-up comedy and released several comedy albums, including Out of Control, You Can't Beat People Up and Have Them Say I Love You, A Blind Man's Movie, Busted, and Backtrack 13.

His television writing work included a staff position on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, where he was part of the writing team that received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series in 1969. Among the sketches he contributed to was "The Honey House," a parody of Bobby Goldsboro's 1968 hit song "Honey." The sketch took the form of a tour through the home where the song's character had lived and died, with Tom Smothers and then Dick Smothers each playing the role of her husband. In addition to writing for the program, Roman made occasional on-screen appearances. He also hosted a 1970 television special, Murray Roman's TV Show.

Roman appeared in several other television productions, including Batman, where he played E.G. Trends in the two-part episodes "Hizzonner the Penguin" and "Dizzonner the Penguin" in November 1966. He appeared in ABC Stage 67 as Hairy Eddie Popkin in December 1966, played a bowling alley manager in a 1967 episode of That Girl, portrayed Harold in a 1968 episode of The Monkees, and appeared as Lt. Pohl in a 1968 episode of The Rat Patrol.

English musician Keith Moon was a noted admirer of Roman's work, according to actor and comedy writer Bob Einstein. Moon assisted Roman in securing a recording contract with Track Records. Roman's album Busted later gained renewed attention when DJ Shadow sampled it in "Stem/Long Stem/Transmission 2" on his 1996 album Endtroducing, and again on the single "Lost and Found (S.F.L.)."

Roman was married three times and had three daughters.