Tim Conway death: Comedian and star of The Carol Burnett Show dies aged 85
The legendary comedian is best known for his characters like Oldest Man and Mr Tudball
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tim Conway, a legendary comic and Emmy Award Winner known for his roles on TV shows like The Carol Burnett Show and McHale’s Navy, has passed away, his publicist has confirmed.
He was 85-years-old.
The actor was popular for his ad-lib sketches and characters like the Oldest Man and Mr Tudball. He was a decorated comedian, winning a Golden Globe Award in 1976 and Emmys Awards in 1973, 1977 and 1978.
He most recently won an Emmy as a guest star on 30 Rock in 2008.
Mr Conway is survived by his wife, his stepdaughter, seven children and two granddaughters.
His family has asked for donations to be made to The Lou Ruvo Brain Centre at the Cleveland Clinic in Las Vegas, Nevada. He reportedly suffered from complications from Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
His co-star on The Carol Burnett Show, Vicki Lawrence, was asked in 2012 whether members of the show were ever worried about not having enough material before going on-air.
“No, because we could always count on Tim to go over,” she replied. “So there was always enough show. In fact, sometimes, because he would get on a roll and do stuff we had never seen before, so maybe a four-minute sketch would turn into a 10-minute sketch — thanks to Conway — and we could then bank another sketch that we were going to do that week for another week.”
Mr Conway was reportedly born in Ohio, before attending Bowling Green State university and serving in the US Army.
He went on to work at a radio station and was later discovered by Rose Marie, a comedian who helped him get a recurring spot on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show.
Mr Conway and his first wife, Mary Anne Dalton, divorced in 1978. He remarried Charlene Conway in 1984.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments