He starred in the films Beverly Hills Cop II and the Problem Child and was a former cast member on Saturday Night Live. Gottfried also did vocal work for children’s television and movies, including The Parrot Iago at Disney’s Aladdin. Gottfried’s journalist and friend Glenn Schwartz said the “beloved and iconic comedian” had died of a rare genetic muscle disease that could cause a dangerously abnormal heartbeat. His family has also honored him, saying: “Apart from being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. “Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loudly as you can in Gilbert’s honor.” Schwartz said he died of recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, a disorder that affects the heart.
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Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1955, Gottfried was the son of a hardware store owner and a stay-at-home mom. He started doing amateur stand-up at the age of 15 and first came to national attention with many appearances on MTV in his early days and a brief appearance on the Saturday Night Live cast in the 1980s. He also enjoyed making impressions, including Groucho Marx, Bela Lugosi and Andrew “Dice” Clay. Image: Gottfried was a stand-up comedian and actor. Photo: AP “Politically wrong, but a soft one from the inside” Fellow comedians and performers paid tribute to Gottfried on social media. Actress Marlee Matlin wrote on Twitter: “I am so sad to read about the death of Gilbert Gottfried. “Funny, politically wrong, but inwardly soft. We met many times, he even made fun of me on a plane, replacing my interpreter.” Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander also wrote on Twitter: “Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter was not easy. What a gift.” Gottfried’s friend and co-presenter of the podcast, Frank Santopadre, added in a statement: “Gilbert’s humor was brazen, shocking and often offensive, but the man behind the jokes was anything but. “Those who loved him and had the good fortune to share his trajectory knew a person who was sweet, sensitive, surprisingly shy and full of a childlike sense of play and admiration.” Gottfried was survived by his wife Dara, his sister Karen, 14-year-old daughter Lily and 12-year-old son Max.
