R.I.P. Charlie Callas
1/28/2011
Charlie Callas dies at 86
American comedian Charlie Callas, who worked with Jerry Lewis and Dean
Martin –– as well as opening several of Frank Sinatra’s Vegas shows –
has reportedly died at the age of 86.
A professional drummer before becoming a stand-up, Brooklyn-born
Callas was most famous for his comic stutter and sound effects. Patton
Oswalt paid tribute to that talent this morning, tweeting: ‘Can't
believe Charlie Callas is hrrrrn...is hwagooooo...is frrrrppp...is
dead. RIP.’
Callas, who died in care centre in Las Vegas yesterday according to
the Review-Journal newspaper, provided the voice of dragon Elliot in
Seventies family film Pete’s Dragon, while his other movie credits
include Mel Brooks’ High Anxiety and Silent Movie. He also had a
string of TV guest appearances to his name, but when a 2002 episode of
The Simpsons, The Old Man And The Key portrayed him as a washed-up
entertainer, it was Dan Castellaneta who provided his voice.
Callas was a chat-show regular – once appearing on the Des O’Connor
Show – and was a regular on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show in the
Seventies until he upset the notoriously demanding host. Failing to
get laughs from the studio audience, Callas deliberately gave Carson a
shove – and he never appeared on the show again.
Charlie Callas dies at 86
American comedian Charlie Callas, who worked with Jerry Lewis and Dean
Martin –– as well as opening several of Frank Sinatra’s Vegas shows –
has reportedly died at the age of 86.
A professional drummer before becoming a stand-up, Brooklyn-born
Callas was most famous for his comic stutter and sound effects. Patton
Oswalt paid tribute to that talent this morning, tweeting: ‘Can't
believe Charlie Callas is hrrrrn...is hwagooooo...is frrrrppp...is
dead. RIP.’
Callas, who died in care centre in Las Vegas yesterday according to
the Review-Journal newspaper, provided the voice of dragon Elliot in
Seventies family film Pete’s Dragon, while his other movie credits
include Mel Brooks’ High Anxiety and Silent Movie. He also had a
string of TV guest appearances to his name, but when a 2002 episode of
The Simpsons, The Old Man And The Key portrayed him as a washed-up
entertainer, it was Dan Castellaneta who provided his voice.
Callas was a chat-show regular – once appearing on the Des O’Connor
Show – and was a regular on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show in the
Seventies until he upset the notoriously demanding host. Failing to
get laughs from the studio audience, Callas deliberately gave Carson a
shove – and he never appeared on the show again.