WebProNews

Tag: actor dies

  • Sid Caeser, Legend Of Sketch Comedy, Dies At Age 91

    Sid Caesar was one of the first comedic actors to take part in the act of sketch comedy, which has become such a popular way to make people laugh. He was essentially the founder of the brand of comedy, and changed television comedy forever.

    With the death of Sid Caesar at the age of 91, the world of comedy has lost another legend, and he will be forever remembered for the influence that he has had on other comedy actors and shows.

    Saturday Night Live is certainly one of the biggest examples of something that is influenced by the brand of the comedy that Caesar can be credited for starting. Despite the fact that the show started decades ago, many people continue to watch it, and producers keep the show relevant by constantly changing cast.

    He started his career while working with some of the great legends of the comedy genre, including Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, and Woody Allen.

    When speaking about Sid Caesar and his strength as a comedy actor, veteran actor and director Carl Reiner said “From my vantage point, which was sometimes no further than an inch from his face, and one time nose on nose, he was inarguably the greatest pantomimist, monologist and single sketch comedian who ever worked in television.”

    Caesar’s first comedy-variety show was called The Admiral Broadway Revue, and premiered in 1949, although he was most well-known for his second effort in 1950, which was Your Show Of Shows.

    Sid Caesar’s Your Show Of Shows lasted for 90 minutes, and consisted of skits, revues, pantomime and satire that his audience found funny, and they were also able to easily relate to the situations. His comedy style would often expose the truths of everyday life, and he had said that real life is the true comedy.

    Following his time as a big television star, he also starred in some hit comedy films. He appeared in It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, as well as two of Mel Brooks’ classics: The History Of The World: Part 1, and Silent Movie.

    While he may not be known to too many younger fans of his genre, the work that he did in his time is incredibly important, and should be continually remembered. Caesar also worked with some of the greatest of his genre, and likely had an influence on many others.

    Sid Caesar was born in 1922 in Yonkers, New York, and he was the third son of an Austrian-born restaurant owner and his Russian-born wife.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • “S.W.A.T.” Star Dies: Steve Forrest Was 87

    Steve Forrest, who played Lt. Dan “Hondo” Harrelson on the popular ’70s television show “S.W.A.T.”, has died of natural causes in California. He was 87 years old.

    Forrest began his career in the ’50s and made a name for himself almost immediately, winning “New Star Of The Year” at the 1953 Golden Globes for the film “So Big”. He went on to build a name for himself on television, starring in roles for “Gunsmoke”, “Bonanaza”, and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”. He also starred in “The Baron”, which was Britain’s first color television series, and hit Broadway in a 1958 production of “The Body Beautiful” as a trained vocalist.

    But it was his role as “Hondo” that gained a wider audience; as a military man, he brought his experiences to the character, endearing him to fans with his signature life, “Let’s roll!”

    Forrest is survived by his wife Christine, their three sons, and four grandchildren.

  • “MASH” Actor Dies: Allan Arbus Was 95

    “MASH” Actor Dies: Allan Arbus Was 95

    “M*A*S*H” actor Allan Arbus, who played psychiatrist Sidney Freedman on the show, has died. He was 95.

    Arbus was a film actor who appeared in “Coffy” and “Damien: Omen II”, but he was best known for his work on television. Throughout the ’70s, he appeared on many of the most popular shows, including “Mod Squad”, “The Odd Couple”, and “Hawaii 5-0”. But it was his portrayal of Major Sidney Freedman on “M*A*S*H” which won him favor with audiences. It would become his most famous role.

    “I was so convinced that he was a psychiatrist I used to sit and talk with him between scenes,” co-star Alan Alda said. “After a couple months of that I noticed he was giving me these strange looks, like ‘How would I know the answer to that?’ ”

    Before his acting career took off, Arbus worked with his wife, Diane, as a photographer. He also snapped photos for the Army during WWII, but he would make a name for himself later with Diane when they discovered a gift for fashion photography. The couple made huge names for themselves in the fashion world, shooting for Vogue and Glamour before Diane decided to take her own creative path.

    Diane and Allan divorced in 1969, and she took her own life in 1971. Many who knew Allan believed such a tragic loss helped him put a believable spin on his “M*A*S*H” character.

    “He brought a depth … to what he faced as a psychiatrist on the show,” said Alan Alda. “It helped the audience and … actors believe some of the stresses our characters were under.”