Caroline Hirsch
The impresario behind Caroline's on Broadway, Hirsch has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in comedy.
A Brooklyn native, Hirsch saw her first standup act when she snuck into a George Carlin set at The Bitter End in The Village in the late 60s. She got slightly side tracked, attending City College and FIT and working at the department store Gimbels for a spell before she found herself unemployed. On a whim, some friends convinced her to open a cabaret club in 1982, but when the cabaret theme failed to lure in audiences, she switched Caroline's to a comedy club, luring in younger clientele. Known for her ability to spot emerging talent, like Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Reubens, she even produced a comedy special on A&E in the late ‘80s. With rising prominence and popularity, Hirsch also founded the New York Comedy Festival, which showcases some of the biggest stars in comedy like Jon Stewart, Ricky Gervais, and Patton Oswalt in the biggest venues in the city, like Madison Square Garden, the Apollo, and Carnegie Hall. In addition to her legendary status in the comedy world, Hirsch has also devoted her time to charities like The Creative Coalition, Count Me In, and Ms. Foundation for Women. [Image via Getty]