LAS VEGAS, NV (CelebrityAccess) – Emmy award winning stand-up comedian, Louie Anderson has passed at the age of 68. Anderson’s publicist, Glenn Schwartz confirmed the news and revealed his cause of death was complications from diffuse large B cell lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
Born in St. Paul, MN, one of 11 children in 1953. He was a counselor for troubled children when he won his first award – First place at the 1981 Midwest Comedy Competition. In 1984, He made his television debut at the desk of Mr. Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show”, bringing the laughs making fun of his midwestern childhood.
Anderson became a household name hosting the revival of the game show “Family Feud”, which ran from 1999-2002 and allowed him the opportunity to pursue acting. Prior to, he voiced an animated version of himself as a lonely kid in “Life with Louie”, a cartoon series he created and for which he won two daytime emmy awards.
Anderson was known for his self-depreciating humor and for playing a mother to twin boys (played by Zack Galifianakis) in the Emmy-winning show “Baskets”. His portrayal of Christine Baskets, a character he based off his own mother and five sisters, earned him three Emmy nods, winning outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series in 2016.
During a career spanning four decades, Anderson was also a published author with books like “Dear Dad – Letters from an Adult Child” and “The F Word, How to Survive Your Family.”
A 1985 marriage to his childhood sweetheart which ended four weeks later, Anderson never re-married or had any children. He is survived by his two sisters, Lisa and Shanna Anderson.
