The publicist for Gilbert Gottfried revealed the death of the comedian and actor on Tuesday from a rare genetic heart muscle disease. Glenn Schwartz confirmed the update to Entertainment Weekly After Gilbert Gottfried’s family announced his death from a long illness. Gottfried was 67 years old at the time of his death. ET cites Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center At the diagnosis, the comedian and actor reported death “from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to muscular dystrophy type II, described as genetic dystrophy affecting muscles and other systems, potentially resulting in an abnormal heart rhythm.”
“It is heartbreaking to announce the death of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness,” the family statement read. “In addition to being the comics’ most famous voice, Gilbert has been a husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please continue to laugh as loudly as possible in honor of Gilbert. Love, Gottfried family.”
Jason Alexander was one of the people who broke the news of Gottfried’s death. Alexander wrote in a letter: “Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter didn’t come easily. What a gift. I didn’t know him well but loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. #ripGilbertGottfried” Twitter. Fellow comedian and editor Emery Emery also shared a message mourning Gottfried’s death: “The morning my last film was released, I found out that my friend and colleague Gilbert Gottfried had passed. It’s never forgotten. That’s his hilarious contribution.”
By the time Gottfried’s death was announced, artists from all over Hollywood took to social media to mourn the actor and share various stories from their time with him. Here are a few of those reactions.
Aside from his early years as a stand-up comedian, Gilbert Gottfried was also known for his signature voice, which helped him rise as a prominent voice actor for television commercials, animated television shows, and films. Some of his TV shows include Saturday Night Live, The Cosby Show, Married… With Children, and Night Court. Gilbert has provided his voice for animation projects such as Aladdin, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Duckman, Superman: The Animated Series, Fairly OddParents, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants and many more.
Perhaps Gottfried’s most famous role was as the voice of Iago the Parrot on Aladdin and Aflac duck in TV commercials. Gottfried spoke to Roger Ebert.com About the creative control he was allowed when voicing Iago.
“They definitely left it open for me to be able to play and throw rows,” he said in a 2017 interview. “When they record your voice, they have a video camera in the room so they can capture your facial expressions, which affected the way the parrot was drawn. Once, the artist showed me a drawing he made where you see a caricature of me slowly turning into Iago. There was a certain line in the movie that I made By igniting it, and someone told me Robin Williams cracked when he heard it. It was during a scene where Iago and Jafar had to run away, and I say, ‘Quick, let’s get everything: guns, knives, grenades – what about this picture of me?’ do you like it? I think I’m making a weird face in it.” That was so much fun. Of course, every now and then, they’d have to stop me and go, “This is a Disney movie. We can’t really use who – which word.’ [laughs]”
Cover image by Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images for SiriusXM
.
[ad_2]
