Phil Austin

Phil Austin (April 6, 1941 – June 18, 2015) was an American comedian and writer, best known as a member of the Firesign Theatre. Born in Denver, Colorado, Austin grew up in Fresno, California and attended Fresno High School. He had a passion for acting, influenced by his mother who was a drama teacher. Austin attended Bowdoin College, Fresno State College, and UCLA, although he did not graduate from any of them. In the late 1960s, he worked as an apprentice for the Center Theatre Group and was a staff member at KPFK radio in Los Angeles. There, he collaborated with David Ossman, Peter Bergman, and Phil Proctor to form The Firesign Theatre.