Louie Anderson comedian and actor dies at 68 – Louie Anderson was a comedian and actor who starred in “Baskets” and created the cartoon series “Life With Louie.”
Louie Anderson comedian and actor dies at 68 – Tributes to Louie Anderson – Busy four-decade career
Anderson got his start as a comedian in the early 1980s, winning first place at the Midwest Comedy Competition in 1981. He became known for his stand-up, appearing on “The Tonight Show” as well as in stand-up specials, before becoming a popular actor and TV host.
Anderson’s early acting roles included the movies “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Coming to America,” and he began frequent appearances on “The New Hollywood Squares” in the mid-‘80s. He expanded his audience with the 1996 Saturday morning cartoon “Life With Louie,” based on his childhood in Sant Paul, Minnesota and featuring his voice for the main character and his father. Anderson won two Emmy Awards for his performance.
Anderson starred in the short-lived 1996 sitcom “The Louie Show” and hosted a “Family Feud” reboot beginning in 1999. He became a Las Vegas regular, headlining in stand-up shows including “Louie: Larger Than Life” and “Louie LOL” throughout the 200s and 2010s. In 2016, Anderson began starring in the FX series “Baskets,” playing Christine Baskets, mother of Zach Galifianakis’ twin brother characters.
He won a third Emmy for his performance on “Baskets,” as well as a Critics Choice Award. Anderson continued recording comedy specials, including his most recent, 2018’s “Louie Anderson: Big Underwear.” His TV guest appearances included “Scrubs,” “Drunk History,” and “Young Sheldon,” and he had recurring roles on “Search Party” and “Twenties” as well as being a regular panelist on the game show “Funny You Should Ask.”
Notable quote
“You know, when I was a kid, they wanted to fix these teeth. They wanted to close up that space in between it. Three or four dentists tried to do it. I go, ‘No, shut up.’ …I like being different. I’m never gonna be the person you want to be—you know, the perfect male, the class president.” —from a 2020 interview for Los Angeles magazine
Tributes to Louie Anderson
Full obituary: Los Angeles Times
