Gilbert Gottfried (February 28, 1955-April 12, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and voice artist, known for his trademark squinting and raspy screeching.
His numerous roles in film and television include voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin and Digit in the children's cartoon / educational math-based show Cyberchase. Gottfried was also the voice of the Aflac Duck in their TV commercial life insurance ads until 2011.
He appeared as himself on Married... with Children, in the Season 9 episode "Ship Happens (Part 2)".
Career[]
At age 15, young Gilbert Gottfried began doing amateur stand-up in New York City and, after a few years, became known around New York as "the comedian's comedian."[2] In 1980, Saturday Night Live (SNL) was being retooled with a new staff and new comedians; the producers noticed Gottfried and hired him as a cast member for season 6.[3] In 1980, NBC-TV's late night series Saturday Night Live was being retooled with a new staff and new comedians; the producers noticed Gottfried and hired him as a cast member. During the 1980–1981 season, Gottfried's persona in SNL sketches was very different from his later characterization: he rarely (if ever) spoke in his trademark screeching, obnoxious voice and never squinted. During his 12-episode stint, he was given very little airtime and seldom used in sketches.
Gilbert recalls a low point was having to play a corpse in a sketch about a sports organist hired to play inappropriate music at a funeral. Despite this, he had one recurring character (Leo Waxman, husband to Denny Dillon's Pinky Waxman on the recurring talk show sketch, "What's It All About?") and two celebrity impersonations: David A. Stockman and controversial film director Roman Polanski.
Although not a regular, he also appeared in the short-lived 1992 TV series The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys and voiced crazed dentist "Dr. Bender" and his son Wendell on the show The Fairly OddParents and the voice of Jerry the Belly Button Elf on Ren and Stimpy. Three of his most prominent voice-over role came in 1990, 1991, and 1992, when he was cast as the adoption agent Igor Peabody in Problem Child and Problem Child 2 opposite film co-stars John Ritter and future wife Amy Yasbeck, and the parrot Iago in Aladdin. When asked how he prepared for the role, Gottfried said, "I did the whole DeNiro thing. I moved to South America! I lived in the trees!" Gottfried reprised the role in The Return of Jafar, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, the eponymous television series and various related media such as Kingdom Hearts and House of Mouse.
MWC appearance[]
Gilbert as himself in the episode "Ship Happens: Part 2", in Season 10.
He is mentioned by name in "Ship Happens (Part 1)" as Peggy mentions that Gilbert Gottfried will be the entertainment for the cruise, causing Al and Jefferson to express their displeasure.
In the following episode "Ship Happens (Part 2)", Al, Peg and the D'Arcy's ocean cruise takes a turn for the worse when their ship sinks and they are stranded on a life raft in the middle of the ocean with a fat woman, and Gilbert Gottfried. As the group are adrift in the ocean, Gottfried tries to entertain the group with props and impersonations, though Jefferson is the only one among them that is amused.
Personal life[]
Gilbert has been married to Dara Kravitz since September 3, 2007, and they have two children, daughter Lily Aster, born 2007, and a son, Max Aaron, born in 2009.
Death[]
Gottfried died on April 12, 2022 at 2:35 p.m. ET due to from recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia due to Myotonic Dystrophy type II. The disease is a rare genetic muscle disease that can cause heart abnormalities. It was mentioned that he had been dealing with the disease for a long time. He was 67 years old. [4][5][6]
Appearances[]
- Season 9
- Ship Happens (Part 1) (mentioned only)
- Ship Happens (Part 2)
References[]
- ↑ "Gilbert Gottfried", The New York Times, republishing material by All Movie Guide. Retrieved on June 19, 2018.
- ↑ About Gilbert. Gilbertgottfried.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved on March 1, 2013.
- ↑ Edgers, Geoff. "The first time Prince could have saved Saturday Night Live", The Washington Post (washingtonpost.com), October 30, 2014. Retrieved on August 23, 2016.
- ↑ Gilbert Gottfried, Aladdin Voice Actor and Comedian, Dead at 67 'After a Long Illness'. People.
- ↑ Gilbert Gottfried, Actor and Comic's Comic, Dies at 67. Voice of America (VOA).
- ↑ GILBERT GOTTFRIED DEAD AT 67. TMZ.
External links[]
Gilbert Gottfried at the Internet Movie Database- Gilbert Gottfried article at Wikipedia
