Mitzi Shore, owner of Comedy Store, is dead at 87

LOS ANGELES — Mitzi Shore, owner of the Los Angeles club the Comedy Store and one of the most influential figures in stand-up for more than four decades, has died. Shore was credited with launching and shaping the careers of many big-name comedians. 

Her son, Pauly Shore, paid tribute to his mother on Twitter, and said his "heart lays heavy." 

He wrote a moving post about her life and memorialized her as a "comedy Godmother." 

"Looking back on my mom's life, the one word that comes to mind is giver," he wrote. "She gave her heart, her soul, and her stages. So Mom, on behalf of myself and all of the other comedians, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for letting us develop our craft at the Store. Not only were you our comedy Godmother, you are my mother. We'd be nothing without you and your guidance. While you're up in heaven, we will be down here on earth making sure the Main Room, Belly Room, and Original room stay sacred. I love you. You will always be in my heart."

Spokeswoman Jodi Gottlieb released a statement from the club announcing Shore's death on Wednesday. She was 87.

No cause was given, but Pauly Shore tweeted that she had been in hospice and died in the early morning.

The Comedy Store was two years old when Mitzi Shore took over ownership after divorcing the club's co-founder, comedian Sammy Shore, in 1974.

She arrived at a moment when a huge stand-up boom was erupting.

Virtually every major comic from Richard Pryor to Robin Williams to Jerry Seinfeld used the club as a stepping-stone and returned to hone their acts after gaining fame.

Kevin Smith, Arsenio Hall and Kathy Griffin were among those who paid tribute to the late comedy legend. 

Eddie Griffin said that Richard Pryor and Robin Williams will greet Mitzi Shore in the afterlife.