Dom DeLuise
Dom DeLuise (1 August 1933, Brooklyn, New York - 4 May 2009, Santa Monica, California) was an American comedy actor on stage and television and in movies, plus producer and director, and author and celebrity chef.
Screen appearances
DeLuise's first film was Fail Safe (1964), although he had previously been on television as Dominick the Great on the Garry Moore Show, performing with his good friend Ruth Buzzi, and as Tinker the Toymaker in Tinker's Workshop (1954). He was also picked as a regular on TV's The Dean Martin Show and The Carol Burnett Show, and was a frequent guest host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
In 1968, DeLuise hosted his own TV show, The Dom DeLuise Variety Show, on CBS, under the guidance of Jackie Gleason. He returned to hosting on ABC in Dom DeLuise and Friends from 1983 to 1990.
DeLuise also appeared in Robin Hood: Men In Tights, The Muppet Movie, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and he once appeared on an episode of the TV series 3rd Rock From The Sun opposite his three sons.
In 1979 he directed the movie Hot Stuff.
His last appearances were cameos in the 2009 films Horrorween and Clarkworld.
Collaborations
DeLuise was a regular actor in actor-director Mel Brooks's films, including Silent Movie, Spaceballs (a parody of Star Wars, as "Pizza the Hutt"), History Of The World Part I, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Blazing Saddles.
DeLuise teamed with actor-director Gene Wilder in several films, including The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.
DeLuise also teamed up with fellow actor Burt Reynolds for the comedies, The End, The Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run II.
Family
DeLuise was married to actress Carol Arthur in 1965, and they had three actor sons, Peter DeLuise, Michael DeLuise and David DeLuise. His family was all with him at his death from kidney failure and respiratory problems after a long battle with cancer.
References
- entry - IMDB
- Obituary - EmpireOnline. 6 May 2009, 2:33 AM, PDT
- Official web site
