Comedian Gilbert Gottfried died Tuesday at the age of 67, according to his family.
“We are heartbroken to announce the death of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness,” read the statement shared through his Twitter account.
Gottfried died at 2:35 p.m. ET of recurrent ventricular tachycardia caused by myotonic dystrophy type II, according to Glenn Schwartz, his longtime friend, and publicist.
Gottfried, who hosted his stand-up comedy show for more than 50 years, came to be known as the “comedian’s comedian,” as described by our sister network NBC News because in his live performances he used to put aside the politically right when he made jokes that knew no bounds,” his rep said in a statement.
Gottfried was also known for his work on the popular PBS children’s show Cyberchase.
Among his notable films are ‘Look Who’s Talking Too’, Problem Child, and Beverly Hills Cop II. He was also the focus of the 2017 documentary Gilbert, about his prolific life and career From Him.
Gottfried his role as Iago in the sequels The Return of Jafar (1994) and Aladdin and the 40 Thieves (1996), as well as several other Disney specials and series.
Among the tributes that have come to the comedy legend after his death is that of his former partner Jason Alexander.
His family described him as “the most iconic voice in the comedy” as well as “a wonderful husband, brother, friend, and father to their two young children.”
“Although today is a sad day for us, please keep laughing as hard as you can in honor of Gilbert,” the text concludes.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
