Grammy-winning actor Louis Anderson, Who Spanned a career from stand-up comedy and game show host to leading television and film roles, died in Las Vegas on Friday from cancer-related complications, his publicist Glenn Schwartz confirmed to CNN.
He was 68 years old.
On Thursday, his friend fellow comedian Pauly Shore tweeted goodbye to Anderson and asked for prayers for the ailing star.
Born one of 11 children in St. Paul, Minnesota, Anderson was a counselor for troubled children when she won the first place trophy at the 1981 Midwest Comedy Competition.
The contest host, legendary comedian Henny Youngman, was so moved that he hired the young comedian as the screenwriter.
Anderson soon took the spotlight on the comedy scene across the country.
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Johnny Carson invited Anderson to make his national television debut on the Tonight Show in 1984, and Anderson’s career began.
Jay Leno, David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Comic Relief, Showtime and HBO features have further cemented his reputation as one of Hollywood’s greatest comedians.
However, it was in 1999 hosting the beloved game show Family Feud that made Anderson a pseudonym and opened the door to acting.
Anderson has appeared in several TV series, including Grace Under Fire, Touched by Angel, and Chicago Hope, and has appeared in films such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Coming to America and its sequel, Coming to America 2.
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America.” ,” Eddie with Murphy. He voiced a fictional version of the 8-year-old in the popular 1990s animated series Life with Louie, which ran for three years. Most recently Anderson appeared in Young Sheldon, had recurring roles in the dark comedy Search Party, and joined the cast of the hit BET series The Twenties.
Critics took note in 2016 when Anderson was cast in the lead role in the hit FX comedy series Baskets alongside Zach Galifianakis and Martha Kelly.
Anderson took on the role of “Christine”, Basket Clan’s head of the family, featuring a mother and five sisters who played important roles in his life.
The role earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and a Critics’ Choice Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Anderson was also a bestselling author. His books include Dad’s Dear Letters from Grown Child, Goodbye Jumbo… Hello Cruel World, The F-Word, and How to Survive Your Family.
His latest book, Hello Mom, was published in 2018 and “describes a journey that combines wit and bittersweet humor to turn life’s challenges into joy and the wisdom he received from his deceased mother.”
Anderson’s survivors include two sisters, Lisa and Shanna Anderson.
