Susie Essman
A veteran stand-up comic whose blistering, high-volume insults as Susie Greene became a cornerstone of Curb Your Enthusiasm's chaos.
Born 1955 (age 71)·American stand-up comedian and actress·Birthday: May 31·Baby Boomers
Biography
Long before she was hurling expletive-laden tirades at Larry David on television, Susie Essman was cutting her teeth in the gritty comedy clubs of New York City. Her voice—a potent mix of Bronx brass and precise comic timing—was forged in the stand-up trenches. This foundation made her perfect for the improvisational anarchy of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' where her character, Susie Greene, became the show's human detonator. Essman's genius lies in making outrage hilariously artistic; every "you four-eyed fuck" and "you bald bastard" is delivered with the cadence of a virtuoso. Beyond 'Curb,' she has voiced animated characters and taken on acting roles, but her legacy is that of a comedian who mastered a very specific, explosively funny form of verbal violence, turning insults into an iconic comic signature.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Susie was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Susie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Susie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed the explosively funny Susie Greene across all 12 seasons of HBO's critically adored 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'.
- Voiced the cynical cat Mittens in Disney's animated film 'Bolt', bringing a street-smart edge to the role.
- Played Bobbi Wexler, the hilariously self-involved mother, on Comedy Central's 'Broad City'.
- Maintained a decades-long career as a stand-up comedian, performing specials and touring nationally.
Did You Know?
She is a dedicated animal welfare advocate and has worked with several rescue organizations.
Her stand-up comedy often draws heavily from her experiences as a wife and mother.
She guest-starred on 'The King of Queens' as Larry's cousin, Stephanie.
Before fame, she worked as a special education teacher in the South Bronx.
“I'm not angry in my real life. I have a very nice, calm life. I save it all for the stage.”
