Mike Myers to play his Chicago improv mentor, Del Close, in film

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Mike Myers | GETTY IMAGES

Second City’s legendary guru Del Close will be immortalized in a feature film starring his former student Mike Myers and directed by Betty Thomas, producers announced Thursday at the Berlin Film Festival.

“Del” will depict the demanding teacher through the eyes of an aspiring comedian he takes under his wing. The screenplay by Nick Torokvei is based on the book “Guru,” written by Chicago actor and director Jeff Griggs about the months he spent driving Close on errands and learning of his history and his world view.

Del Close | iO photo

Del Close | iO photo

Close, considered one of the fathers of Chicago (and all things) improv, was the person who mentored a bevy of today’s most successful comedians (and “SNL” alums) including Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Myers, and the late John Belushi and Chris Farley. At first an actor and director at Second City, he later became the key creative voice at ImprovOlympic (now iO) until his death in 1999.

“[Del] was a series of contradictions,” Myers told the Sun-Times in a 2005 interview. “He had an encyclopedic knowledge of comedy and had the air of a very rational librarian, and yet he was also into the world of the supernatural and spirituality. In his classes, he was in total command but never total control.”

Second City owner Andrew Alexander is among the executive producers of “Guru.” Some if not all of the filming is expected to take place in Chicago.

“Mike Myers is a comedy genius and the perfect actor to inhabit this complicated, funny, poignant character,” said Paul Hanson of Covert Media, which is financing the film. “A pioneer of his craft, Close has passed his knowledge of humor and improv to the group of comedians that everyone knows today, and this hilarious script examines that intimate relationship with his students that has made them so successful.”

Close’s longtime artistic partner, iO co-founder Charna Halpern, also has written a script about Close and said Thursday she continues to discuss ways her film could be made. It covers a wider swath of Close’s life than the brief period focused on in “Del.”

She said she is meeting with iO performer and “Key & Peele” writer Rich Talarico soon to work on rewrites.

Contributing: Darel Jevens

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