Actor, comedian and author Dom DeLuise has died at the aged of 75 after a long battle with cancer.
DeLuise first gained prominence doing comedy on the Dean Martin show in the late 1960s. During the 70s he established himself as a comedic character actor, appearing in a range of Mel Brooks films including The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Silent Movie, History of the World, Part I, Spaceballs, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. He’s often best remembered for co-staring with Burt Reynolds in the films The Cannonball Run and Cannonball Run II, Smokey and the Bandit II, The End, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and All Dogs Go to Heaven.
In later years, he briefly hosted Candid Camera in the early 1990’s, and also authored seven children’s books and four cook books.
He is survived by his wife, actress Carol Arthur, and his sons, actor, writer, director Peter DeLuise, and actors David DeLuise and Michael DeLuise.
Here’s some classic DeLuise from Blazing Saddles
