Steve Bridges, Comedian Known for George W. Bush Impersonations, Dies at 48,

Steve Bridges, the actor who gained international fame for impersonating George W. Bush while standing alongside him at the 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner, has died.

His brother Phillip told the LA Times that the 48-year-old comic impressionist was found unresponsive at his home in Los Angeles by a housekeeper on Saturday.

It is believed Bridges died of natural causes. An autopsy is scheduled, but the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said foul play was not suspected.

Born in Dallas, Texas on May 22, 1963, Steve Bridges was a born impersonator.

The IBTimes writes that he began to practice his impersonations when he was only a small child, starting with the characters on TV classic “The Three Stooges.”

“Anything I saw on TV, I imitated,” he told Larry King in a CNN interview in 2006.

He had voice coaching and acting classes growing up in Los Angeles, and caught the public’s eye with his impressions of Al Gore and Clinton.

In 2003, his spot-on impersonation of President Bush resulted in him being invited to the White House to meet the president.

According to Bridges, Bush said,

“I tell you: You see a videotape where someone looks like you, acts like you, talks like you — that’s weird.”

Besides his GWB and Clinton portrayals, Bridges had an arsenal of over 200 impressions he had mastered, including Homer Simpson, Regis Philbin and Rush Limbaugh.

He also impersonated California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Jimmy Carter.

Bridges’ management wrote on his site:

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Steve Bridges. His passing comes as a shock to all of us. The cause of death is not known at this time, but we will publish more information as it becomes available.
Steve brought joy and laughter to millions and was a great inspiration to all who knew him. He will be sadly missed. Our prayers go to his family at this time.”

Besides his brother Phillip, Bridges is survived by his parents, Tom and Margaret Bridges; another brother, Jon; and a sister, Elizabeth Bridges, all from Clayton, Calif.

Watch the video below to see what many consider to be Steve Bridges‘ most masterful impression of all time – imitating George W. Bush during a comic routine at the 2006 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, DC.

via THR