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.
