Emmy-winning comedian Louie Anderson dead at 68

Advertisement
Emmy-winning comedian Louie Anderson dead at 68
Louie Anderson at the Emmy awards in 2018.Christopher Polk/NBCU/
  • Comedian and actor Louie Anderson died on Friday. He was 68.
  • The stand-up star announced days before he was being treated for blood cancer.
Advertisement

Comedian and actor Louie Anderson has died at age 68.

Anderson died in Las Vegas Friday morning, days after he announced he was being hospitalized to treat blood cancer, Deadline reported.

Anderson had been diagnosed with Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), his representative told Good Morning America.

Throughout his 30-year comedy career, Anderson performed on "The Tonight Show," starred in "Coming to America," and was a renowned stand-up comedian. He won a primetime Emmy in 2016 for his role on the FX comedy "Baskets" and was nominated for the award two more times.

Representatives for Anderson did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Advertisement

Emmy-winning comedian Louie Anderson dead at 68
Louie Anderson in 1994.NBC/Getty
Anderson's comedy style through his career was based around growing up the second youngest of 11 children in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Anderson performed on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" in 1984 and rose to become one of the biggest comics of the decade.

He starred in numerous stand-up comedy specials, made more late night talk show appearances, and landed a role in the 1988 comedy "Coming to America."

In 1995, Anderson created and starred in the hit Fox animated series "Life with Louie," netting two daytime Emmy award wins. He also starred as the host of 'Family Feud' from 1999 to 2002.

Anderson reached the height of his critical acting acclaim in 2016 when he began his role as the overbearing mother of a rodeo clown played by Zack Galifianakis in the FX series "Baskets." Anderson won an Emmy for best supporting actor in the show's first season.

In a statement, FX said Anderson "graced us and fans of 'Baskets' with a bravura performance."

Advertisement

"It was a risky role for him and he embraced it with a fearlessness and joy that demonstrated his brilliance as an artist," the network continued. "He truly cared about his craft and was a true professional in every sense. Our hearts go out to his loved ones and his 'Baskets' family — Zach Galifianakis, Jonathan Krisel, and Martha Kelly, and all the cast and crew. He will be missed by us all, but never forgotten, and always bring a smile to our faces."

{{}}