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TCJohnson
05-29-2008, 09:05 PM
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Comic actor Harvey Korman has died at 81, according to the UCLA Medical Center.

Harvey Korman's death comes after complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

"It was a miracle in itself that he survived the incident at all. Everyone in the hospital referred to him as 'miracle man' because of his strong will and ability to bounce right back after several major operations," said Korman's daughter, Kate Korman. "Tragically, after such a hard-fought battle, he passed away."

Korman was a regular on "The Carol Burnett Show" from 1967 through 1978, for which he won Emmy awards in 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1974. He also won a Golden Globe for his work on the series.

The lanky Korman also appeared in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (as the sneering Hedley Lamarr), "High Anxiety" and "History of the World, Part 1."

He starred in his own short-lived situation comedy, "The Harvey Korman Show," in 1978, in which he portrayed Harvey Kavanaugh opposite Christine Lahti, who played his wife, Maggie.

He made dozens of appearances in other television shows and movies during his lengthy show-business career, including providing voices for several animated productions. Among those was The Great Gazoo, a helmeted space man who appeared in some episodes of "The Flintstones."

Angie Horejsi, an assistant to Burnett, told The Associated Press that Burnett was devastated by Korman's death: "She loved Harvey very much," Horejsi said.

The AP also reported that Brooks described Korman as a "dazzling" comic talent.

"You could get rock-solid comedy out of him. He could lift the material. He always made it real, always made it work, always believed in characters he was doing," he said, according to AP.

Korman was born in Chicago, Illinois. His first marriage, to Donna Ehlert in 1960, ended in divorce in 1974. He married Deborah Fritze in 1982. Both marriages produced two children.

Korman landed some sketch work on "The Red Skelton Show" in 1961, followed by a four-year stint on "The Danny Kaye Show," which led to his joining Carol Burnett in 1967.

In addition to his wife and daughter, Korman is survived by three other adult children -- Laura, Maria and Chris -- and three grandchildren


http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/05/29/korman.obit/index.html

"Go do that voodoo that you do so well!"

Bart: Stampeding cattle.
Hedley Lamarr: That's not much of a crime.
Bart: Through the Vatican?
Hedley Lamarr: [smiling] Kinkyyyy. Sign here.

Michael P
05-29-2008, 09:11 PM
I, your name, pledge allegiance to Heddy Lamar -- that's *Hedley* -- and to the evil for which he stands.

TCJohnson
05-29-2008, 09:46 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Nj7jR5d3Q

sk716
05-29-2008, 09:51 PM
Insolent Flunky: Count da money.
Count de Monet: de Monet! Mo - nay! Say it with me, Mo - nay!


Very sad.

Cam63
05-30-2008, 06:09 AM
Rest In Peace, you funny bugger.

Stressfactor
05-30-2008, 06:56 AM
I was shocked and saddened to hear this this morning. I always loved Harvey Korman and when you put him together with Tim Conway it was always a recepie for gales of laughter.

Not many people may know this but Korman and his wife were very good friends with Conway and his wife and the two couples often took vacations together. Several years back they took a vacation to France then Korman and Conway ended up on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" showing off their vacation photos. Vacation Photos sound like a snooze fest? Not with Korman and Conway. Some of the funniest of the pictures shown were of Korman who, in his 70's by that point, showed that he still had a nose for what was funny.

They don't make them like that anymore. Somewhere, the afterlife just got funnier. Truly Rest in Peace.

I think this calls for a Korman/Brooks film festival this weekend. I'm going to hit my local DVD rental store and fire up the player.

Gotham
05-30-2008, 07:10 AM
Harvey Korman! Attorney at laaaaaaaa---oh wait.

Alan Lynch
05-30-2008, 07:32 AM
I really need to look up his non-Mel Brooks work. Reading a lot about how funny that was today. God rest him.