They say they come in threes, but they seem to be coming in a flock this week. Yet another celebrity has passed away. Jonathan Winters has passed away at the age of 87. Some of the younger folks might not remember this comedian, but the knowledge that he inspired Robin Williams should tell you a lot.
Winters got his start in radio, and this led to his comedy career. He was a frequent guest on talk shows and game shows in the 1960s and 1970s, almost always with a character impersonation. He was also a regular on a Saturday morning TV show, Hot Dog, and hosted a few of his own shows well. Eventually Robin Williams convinced his inspiration to costar with him on the final season of Mork & Mindy. Later he added voice actor to his resume as well.
The following is a clip of Winters in character during a Dean Martin Roast of Frank Sinatra. You know you're funny when you crack up Sinatra, Martin, Dom DeLuise, Ronald Reagan, Don Rickles, etc.
You can see and hear more of Winters on iTunes. Many of his comedy albums are sold there, as wells as his films and TV shows. There are quite a few podcasts featuring him as well. RIP, Jonathan. Thank you for the laughs.
