George Carlin (1937-2008), a celebrated stand-up comedian, actor, social critic and author, was best known for his irreverent, dark comedy and reflections on American society. Carlin was once dubbed "the dean of counterculture comedians" and has been regarded as one of the most influential stand-up comics of his time. He filmed his first HBO special in 1977 and appeared on The Tonight Show over 130 times.