LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Dom DeLuise, who spiced up such movies as "Blazing Saddles," "Silent Movie" and "The Cannonball Run" with his manic delivery and roly-poly persona, has died, his son's publicist said. Another actor-friend, Dean Martin, admired his comic abilities so much that he cast DeLuise as a regular on his 1960s comedy-variety show. "It was quite an amazing learning place for me.". DeLuise died Monday night, son Michael DeLuise told KTLA-TV and radio station KNX on Tuesday. } Dom DeLuise at Spago Restaurant in Hollywood on September 28, 1987 | Photo: Getty Images. It'll Also Make You Feel Good.". His wife and three children survive him, as do three grandchildren. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { One lunch began with turkey soup and ended with strawberry shortcake. "[17] Mel Brooks also made a statement to the same paper, telling them that DeLuise "created so much joy and laughter on the set that you couldnt get your work done. He later found himself part of Martin's "in-crowd" of comedians on his "celebrity roasts. Mr. DeLuise in a scene from "History of the World Part I" in 1981. He later reprised his role in the "Wizard of Waverly Place" movie, alongside his TV daughter, Selena Gomez. Dom DeLuise passed away on May 4, 2009, three months away from what would have been his 76th birthday on August 1. [citation needed], DeLuise was probably best known as a regular in Mel Brooks' films. A lifelong opera fan, he also portrayed the role of L'Opinion Publique in drag for the Los Angeles Opera's production of Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld.[12]. Those few glimpses behind all the mirth and merriment revealed a dramatic actor waiting to be unleashed. Dominick "Dom" DeLuise (August 1, 1933 - May 4, 2009) was an American actor, voice actor, comedian, movie director, television producer, chef and author. Before long Mr. DeLuise was appearing in films, usually in broad comedies as a nervous sidekick, a schmo or a preposterous fraud. DeLuise died Monday night, son Michael DeLuise told KTLA-TV and radio station KNX on Tuesday. LOS ANGELES -- Dom DeLuise, the portly actor-comedian whose affable nature made. "It was quite an amazing learning place for me.". DeLuise worked closely on several films with pal Gene Wilder, who in 2002 told Larry King that of all of his co-stars, DeLuise "makes me laugh the most.". Watch an impromptu performance by Dom DeLuise . 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Acting called him back, however, and he found work at the Cleveland Playhouse, appearing in stage productions that ranged from comedies like "Kiss Me Kate" to Shakespeare's "Hamlet. He was also in the off-Broadway play All in Love, which opened on November 10, 1961, at the Martinique Theatre and ran for 141 performances. Appearing in the plays "The Jackass" and "All in Love," he became part of the featured ensemble of the 1961 musical revue "An Evening with Harry Stoones," which included 19-year-old Barbra Streisand. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. DeLuise invoked everything from fussy mannerisms to broad ethnic caricatures to get laughs, but seemed especially happy to make fun of himself, as he did as Pizza the Hutt in Brooks' 1987 film Spaceballs. He strongly resembled the famed chef Paul Prudhomme and joked in a 1987 Associated Press interview that he had posed as Prudhomme while visiting his New Orleans restaurant, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. It'll Also Make You Feel Good.". Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Dom DeLuise, the jovial comic who enlivened such madcap films as Cannonball Run, Blazing Saddles, and Spaceballs, has died. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Dom always made you feel better when he was around, and there will never be another like him. "I was just having such a great time.". Log in, Trump, Haley to lock horns at US conservative forum, Editorial: McCarthy gave Capitol footage to Carlson. Dom, known for being a natural in the comic industry, died at the age of 75 at the St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica. He also made several appearances in TV shows like "Friends," "Supernatural," "The Facts of Life," and a cameo appearance in the 2012 remake of "21 Jump Street.". Also the executive producer, he was joined by wife Carol and all three sons in the cast. Dom DeLuise, the irrepressibly rotund comedian, has died at the age of 75, his son Michael confirmed to the Web site of the Los Angeles television station KTLA. "DeLuise's death was confirmed Tuesday by a representative for his son, David DeLuise. The couple's three sons, Peter, Michael and David, all became actors and all appeared with their father in the 1990s TV series "SeaQuestDSV," in which Peter and Michael were regulars. He later attended New York's High School of Performing Arts, but when it came to college, he decided to major in biology at Tufts University, outside Boston. In 1965 he married the actress Carol Arthur, who survives him. This, however, complicated his marriage at the time because he stayed 1,078 miles away from his new wife, causing a strain on their relationship. In addition, Dom offered a cameo in Between the Sheets (2003), a film written by Peter, directed, edited and executive-produced by Michael, and featuring roles for the rest of the family.Dom's voiceover skills did not go untapped, either, in films including the animated features The Secret of NIMH (1982), An American Tail (1986) and All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989), plus all of their offshoots. Known primarily for his comedic performances, he rose to fame in the 1970s as a frequent guest on television variety shows. He was 75.Often working with Burt Reynolds or Mel Brooks, the bearded, roly-poly actor was known for a sharp, distinctive, almost howling laugh that fills the outtakes reel of Cannonball Run a testament to the joyous time he had with Reynolds. Their three sons, Peter DeLuise, Michael DeLuise and David DeLuise all eventually found their way into show business. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Other TV credits included appearances on such shows as "The Munsters," 'The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.," 'Burke's Law," 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch" and "Diagnosis Murder.". So every time I made a movie with Dom, I would plan another two days on the schedule just for laughter. He also wrote Charlie the Caterpillar, The Pouch Potato and other books for children. Dom DeLuise, the mirthful, moon-faced comic actor who provided frequent comedic support in television variety shows of the 1960s and '70s and in movies starring Mel Brooks and Burt Reynolds, has. We see that you have javascript disabled. Among them, "The End," ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," 'Smokey and the Bandit II," ''The Cannonball Run" and "Cannonball Run II.". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znsZYcEdlGc, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpNMYntemw4, Marjorie Taylor Greens call for national divorce (basically civil war) gets backing of Foxs Hannity, ANNOUNCING TMV CAPSULE MOVIE AND BOOK REVIEWS. Dom always made you feel better when he was around and there will never be another like him. Dom, known for being a natural in the comic industry, died at the age of 75 at the St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica. "I was thinking the other day about this. You have permission to edit this article. Another actor-friend, Dean Martin, admired his comic abilities so much that he cast DeLuise as a regular on his 1960s comedy-variety show. He followed with a comedy, "The Glass Bottom Boat," starring Doris Day, and from then on he alternated between films and television. He earned his first professional paycheck playing the titular Bernie the dog in "Bernie's Last Wish." He created the character for The Garry Moore Show and brought it to the CBS variety series The Entertainers, where the ensemble cast included Bob Newhart and Carol Burnett, and The Dean Martin Summer Show.. He was a mainstay of Burke's Law, an American television series that aired on CBS during the 199394 and 199495 television seasons. And in the early 60s, he was a semi-regular on The Shari Lewis Show, a Saturday morning childrens show on NBC in which he played the bumbling private detective Kenny Ketcham. Hosting duties for his very first comedy/variety program The Dom DeLuise Show (1968), which featured wife Carol as part of the regular roster, lasted only one summer. The sitcom Lotsa Luck! By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. the star is famous for his stint with Disney Channel as the hilarious dad in the Emmy-winning show "Wizards of Waverly Place.". In between, were platters of beef filet, chicken breast and sausage, a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and a saucer of lettuce. Its a sad day. Until the 1970s, DeLuise was known primarily as a television personality. Obesity was also a chronic, real-life problem for the comedian and, at one point in 1999, it was reported that he had tipped the scales at 325 lbs. He and his family enrolled at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C., and DeLuise lost enough weight for the surgery, although he gained some of it back afterward. He was a naturally funny man, film critic Leonard Maltin told The Times on Tuesday. He gave it a rest for awhile before trying once again with the sketch-like sitcom The Dom DeLuise Show (1987), but it, too, quickly faded. Actor and comedian Dom DeLuise is shown in this 1987 file photo. Dom again repeated his Dominick the Great character on Martin's show and received great reception. The actor, who loved to cook and eat almost as much as he enjoyed acting, also carved out a formidable second career later in life as a chef of fine cuisine. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. For five years, he sought work in theater or television with little luck. He was 75. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Dom went on to direct a number of stage productions for his close friend at the Burt Reynolds Theatre in Jupiter, Florida -- among them "Butterflies Are Free," "Same Time, Next Year" (starring Burt and Carol Burnett), "Brighton Beach Memoirs" (starring son Peter), and the musical "Jump" (featuring wife Carol). 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