R.I.P. Dom DeLuise: chef, comedian and pop culture icon is dead at 75
It started with a report last night on TMZ, now rocketing across cyberspace; Dom DeLuise, the beefy character actor who lit up everything from Burt Reynolds' Cannonball Run movies to Mel Brooks satires like Robin Hood: Men in Tights has died.
A cookbook author, actor and much more, DeLuise died in his sleep last night after a long illness, according to his son Michael.
He leaves behind a world much less funny, especially for those of us who grew up on his antics with old-school show biz legends such as Reynolds, Brooks, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Carol Burnett and many more.
Along with Bea Arthur, DeLuise's death marks the beginning of another era passing in comedy; a cadre of performers you might see anywhere from feature films to Dean Martin roasts, masking prodigious talents with a clown's instinct for the laugh line.
Here's some clips from some of his coolest performances to remind us all why he was so beloved.
*
The Feed is a blog on TV, media and modern life by St. Petersburg Times TV/media critic Eric Deggans. Possibly the most critical guy at the Times, he has served as music, media and TV critic at various times over 10 years.
E-mail Eric Deggans:
A sad loss to the world of film. We've created a tribute for Dom where fans leave their memories at http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/tribute/deluise/3073201
Posted by: Alex | May 06, 2009 at 06:05 AM
You've got to add this clip of DeLuise with Johnny Carson. It's the kind of spontaneous hilarity that talk shows strive for but rarely achieve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRduPZvIm08
Posted by: Brendan McLaughlin | May 05, 2009 at 03:37 PM
Lord save his soul ...
I just learned that Dom DeLuise-died last night in a Los Angeles hospital.
He was 75.
The history of life:Dom DeLuise-FILM
Posted by: aber | May 05, 2009 at 01:39 PM