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martyb [soylentnews.org] writes:

Thomas Daniel "Tim" Conway passed away today, Tuesday May 14, 2019 at the age of 85.

He gained his first national following as Ensign Charles Parker on McHale's Navy in the 1960s. He was possibly best known for his being a regular cast member on The Carol Burnett Show where he frequently attempted -- and often succeeded -- in getting his fellow cast members to "break character". He'd ceaselessly ad-lib lines and employ mannerisms that led them to bust out laughing.

Wikipedia has a full write-up on his life and career [wikipedia.org] that I was only fortunate enough to experience a small fraction of his comedic genius. His humor was self-effacing, self-deprecating, and his comedic timing was unparalleled.

My favorite skit was his portrayal of a dentist, fresh out of dental school, and his difficulties with helping a patient (Harvey Korman) who was complaining of a toothache. (Video [youtube.com] available on YouTube. (Watch Harvey Korman struggling to maintain his composure.)

The world is a darker place for his passing.

Coverage at: Variety [variety.com], CBS News [cbsnews.com], USA Today [usatoday.com], NPR [npr.org], LA Times [latimes.com], and TV Guide [tvguide.com].

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