Harvey Korman

A gifted comic performer with a dignified voice and appearance that belied his skill for outrageous characters, Harvey Korman was an award-winning actor, writer and director whose often under-appreciated career spanned more than 40 years. After a decade of struggling off-Broadway and in summer stock theater, Korman made small gains on film and television with appearances in "Living Venus" (1961) and on the comedy-variety program "The Danny Kaye Show" (CBS, 1963-67). Generations of cartoon fans would also remember his distinctive voice as the unctuous alien, the Great Gazoo on "The Flintstones" (ABC, 1960-66). It was, however, as a cast member on the beloved sketch-comedy series "The Carol Burnett Show" (CBS, 1967-1978) that Korman truly rose to prominence. The perfect foil for the chameleon-like Burnett - and later, paired to perfection with comic-actor Tim Conway - Korman's performances lent an understated, manic brilliance to the very best skits the long-running show had to offer. He portrayed several memorable characters on film, as well - perhaps the most frequently quoted being that of the dastardly Hedley Lamarr in Mel Brooks' classic Western parody "Blazing Saddles" (1974). As one of Brooks' favorite actors, he was invited back for choice roles in "High Anxiety" (1977), "History of the World: Part I" (1981) and "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" (1995). Whether playing the put-upon straight man or a hilariously over-the-top villain, Korman and his impeccable comic timing could always be counted on to deliver the laughs.