Comedian Rip Taylor dies at 84

[Gaybutton]

I always enjoyed his unique and bizarre humor.
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Rip Taylor, the confetti-tossing actor and comedian, is dead at 84

By Hollie Silverman, CNN

October 6, 2019

(CNN) - Rip Taylor, the confetti-tossing actor and comedian, died Sunday. He was 84.

Taylor was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in the intensive care unit after suffering a seizure last week, his publicist Harlan Boll said.

He was born Charles Elmer Taylor in Washington, D.C., according to Boll. Taylor served in the Korean War and began entertaining then, according to Boll.

Taylor's signature became wacky costumes and props, a handlebar mustache and his confetti tosses during the 1970s, according to IMDb. He was a frequent guest on game shows of that era, including the "Gong Show."

Taylor acted on Broadway, film and television, and was known for his over-the-top personality.
"He lived up to his reputation," Boll told CNN in an interview. "He was called the 'Prince of Pandemonium.'"

"Rest n Peace Mr. Taylor. Loved you, grew up watching you. Thank you for all the laughter you brought me," comedian David Alan Grier posted on Twitter.
Taylor's voice was heard on animated films, including "DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp," "Tom and Jerry: The Movie," and "Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico," according to IMDb.
Taylor was nominated for an Emmy Award for voice of Uncle Fester in the TV cartoon series," The Addams Family," according IMDb.

"The greatest joy he had in life was the result of making others laugh. He didn't have an easy childhood," Boll said. " Abused and bullied, he said he discovered early, that they weren't hitting you if they were laughing.

Taylor is survived by longtime partner, Robert Fortney, according to Boll.

https://us.cnn.com/2019/10/06/entertain ... index.html

[Captain Kirk]

Akin to our Tommy Cooper. Judging only by the clip there as I've never heard of this chap, Cooper was better.

[Gaybutton]

Akin to our Tommy Cooper.

I had never heard of him until your post. I looked at a couple Tommy Cooper videos on YouTube. I can see the similarities, but he speaks so fast and has a thick accent, being American I had trouble trying to understand much of what he was saying.

It reminds me of the time my grandmother went to see a British movie. When she came home she said she was disappointed in it. She said, "I couldn't understand the words. They were speaking English."

My favorite UK comedian was Benny Hill. I also love John Cleese's "Fawlty Towers." I always liked Terry Thomas too. And I still enjoy watching and re-watching Margaret Rutherford's portrayal of Miss Marple. I think perhaps greatest of them all was Peter Sellers.