US comedian Louie Anderson dies aged 68
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US comedian Louie Anderson has died aged 68 following complications from cancer.
The stand-up, who won an Emmy for his role in comedy TV series Baskets, had been receiving treatment for diffuse large B cell lymphoma at a hospital in Las Vegas.
A statement from his representative said: “Iconic comedian Louie Anderson passed away peacefully on Friday morning January 21 in Las Vegas at age 68.
“He is survived by his two sisters, Lisa and Shanna Anderson.”
Born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Anderson’s career spanned 40 years, as he progressed from the US club circuit to primetime TV.
He featured in numerous films, including Coming To America and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as well as hosting the popular American game show Family Feud for a number of years.
Anderson also co-created and starred in the cartoon sitcom Life With Louie, which was based on his childhood.
In 2016, he was cast to star alongside Zach Galifianakis and Martha Kelly in FX comedy series Baskets.
His role as Christine earned him an Emmy Award in 2016 and two other nominations for outstanding supporting actor.
He also guest-starred on Big Bang Theory spin-off Young Sheldon and was a recurring character in the TBS dark comedy Search Party.
Actor Adam Sandler, 55, shared an image of the comedian on Twitter, captioning it: “Damn. Such a funny great guy.
“Made us all laugh so much. Loved him. Condolences to his whole family.”
Anderson was also a bestselling author whose works included Dear Dad, about his relationship with his alcoholic father, and Goodbye Jumbo…Hello Cruel World, which looked at his own struggle with food addiction and self-esteem.
His most recent book, Hey Mom, was published in 2018 and paid tribute to the enduring influence of his late mother.
