Actor Harvey Korman Dies

Posted May 29, 2008, 8:23 pm in Movies by Growing Bolder


Actor and comedian Harvey Korman, who was a regular on "The Carol Burnett Show" and appeared in a string of Mel Brooks films such as "Blazing Saddles" and "High Anxiety," died Thursday at age 81 at UCLA Medical Center. Hospital officials say Korman died of complication from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm he suffered four months ago.

His daughter, Kate Korman, said in the statement that it was a "miracle" that her father had survived the aneurysm at all, and that he had several major operations. "Tragically, after such a hard fought battle he passed away," she said.

Korman first gained attention on "The Danny Kaye Show," in 1964 and continued until it was canceled in 1967. That same year he joined the cast of "The Carol Burnett Show." Burnett and Korman developed into the perfect pair with their burlesques of classic movies such as "Gone With the Wind" and soap operas like "As the World Turns." Korman revealed the secret to the long-running show's success in a 2005 interview. "We were an ensemble, and Carol had the most incredible attitude. I've never worked with a star of that magnitude who was willing to give so much away."

His most memorable film role was as Hedley Lamarr in Mel Brooks' 1974 Western satire, "Blazing Saddles." He also appeared in the Brooks comedies "High Anxiety," "The History of the World Part I" and "Dracula: Dead and Loving It," as well as two "Pink Panther" moves, "Trail of the Pink Panther" in 1982 and "Curse of the Pink Panther" in 1983.



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