Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth is a 1998 documentary film directed by Robert B. Weide about the comedian Lenny Bruce.

Accolades

It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film was edited by Mr. Weide and Geof Bartz, A.C.E. who won a Primetime Emmy Award for their work on this film.

Summary

The film was narrated by Robert De Niro. It featured interviews include Lenny's ex-wife Honey, mother Sally Marr and former TV host Steve Allen, who had Bruce on his show a few times albeit clean unlike his nightclub stand-up jokes. It also featured audio recordings of and newspaper articles about some of Lenny's more controversial routines and archival footage of the comedian's early years, including his appearances on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and Playboy Penthouse and his rare big screen effort: the 1953 exploitation film Dance Hall Racket.