National Comedy Center Acquires Shelley Berman Archives

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — The new National Comedy Center has added the archives of late comedian Shelley Berman to its collection.

The Grammy Award winner died in September at age 92.

The donation to the western New York center comes from his wife of more than 70 years, Sarah Berman. It includes photos, scripts, scrapbooks, Berman's 1959 Gold Records and his trademark stool.

The Berman archive is the latest acquisition for the new center, which is expected to host its ribbon cutting in August. The center acquired the 25,000-piece George Carlin collection last year.

The comedy center is being built in Lucille Ball's hometown of Jamestown and fulfills the late entertainer's vision to establish a center that celebrates comedy in all of its forms.