We have lost another great, great performer.
LOS ANGELES — Harvey Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to “The Carol Burnett Show” and was seen to hilarious effect on the big screen in “Blazing Saddles,” died Thursday. He was 81.
Korman died at UCLA Medical Center after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said in a statement released by the hospital.
His daughter, Kate Korman, said in the statement that it was a “miracle” that her father had survived the aneurysm at all, and that he had several major operations.
“Tragically, after such a hard fought battle he passed away,” she said.
As noted, Korman was beyond brilliant on “The Carol Burnett Show” and as Headley Lamarr in “Blazing Saddles”. I honestly can’t think of anyone right now who can come close to rivaling his versatility, his comedic timing, and the vital skill of being able to play off the people with him in the scene to make a funny skit even funnier. There are some good comedians working right now, but none anywhere close to the plan on which Korman worked almost all the time.
I know others are going to be more eloquent about his life and influence on today’s comedians. Let me just say that he almost always made me laugh. Except just one time.
Below the jump, that one role.
Yes, folks, that is Harvey Korman, as a female four-armed chef in the Star Wars Holiday Special. Thankfully, he didn’t let the role humiliate him out of the business. It would have given me serious reason to doubt my judgment. I’m glad he stuck with it. I’m glad he kept on making us all laugh.
As a palate-cleanser, let’s remember Korman this way, with Tim Conway on “The Carol Burnett Show”, as a concert pianist.
So what do you think, Jimmie (or anybody else)–all those times he seemed to be on the verge of cracking up on the Burnett show…faking or not?
Either way, he was hilarious.
That damned “Star Wars Holiday Special”…you know, I saw it when it or originally aired, the one time only. I would only have been ten or eleven at the time and I was as huge a Star Wars fan as you could find, but even back then, I realized something was desperately, terribly, horribly WRONG with this thing. Other than a few tiny clips and stills I’ve not seen it since. There’s a part of me that wants to, and another part that feels like it’d just be too painful.
No, I don’t think he was faking it. I wonder that he didn’t crack up more with Burnett and Conway and Vicki Lawrence around him all the time.
I had heard that George Lucas ordered the Holiday Special pulled so it would never be shown again. Then again, I heard much the same about Howard the Duck. I’ve not seen either one in reruns for a very long time (and I’ve never seen the Holday Special in reruns, ever).
The Star Wars Christmas Album can still be found in digital format if yuo’re willing to Google around a bit.