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Celebrity3 min(s) read
Beloved actor and comedian Louie Anderson has died aged 68 after a battle with cancer.
The Baskets and Family Feud star was admitted to hospital earlier this week to treat his diffuse large B cell lymphoma, The Guardian reports.
Earlier this week, a representative for the comedian said he had been hospitalized for cancer treatment.
"Iconic comedian Louie Anderson is currently in a Las Vegas hospital being treated for DLBCL Diffuse large B cell lymphoma, a form of cancer. He is resting comfortably," his publicist said in a statement.
Best known for his role in Baskets alongside Zach Galifianakis, Anderson won the hearts of many while appearing on the big screen.
He won an Emmy Award for best supporting actor in a comedy series in 2016 for his work on Baskets, portraying the mother of twins played by Galifianakis. He was nominated two other times for the part.
A Minnesota native, Anderson burst on the scene in the 1980s as part of the country's stand-up comedy boom. Fans loved his self-deprecating style, in which he made fun of his weight.
"Let me move that, so you can see me," he would say at the beginning of many sets, as placed the microphone stand to the side.
Anderson had been a staple in film and TV since the 1980s, appearing in hit comedies such as Coming to America alongside Eddie Murphy.
He reprised his role as Maurice in 2021's much-anticipated sequel Coming 2 America. Anderson also had a small role John Hughes’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and appeared alongside Kevin Bacon in Quicksilver.
Before Coming 2 America, Anderson’s previous film appearance was a cameo as himself in Adam Sandler’s Sandy Wexler.
He made a name for himself performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Young Comedians Special on HBO, which often broke big acts.
Anderson had also been a TV game show host, most notably fronting Family Feud between 1999 and 2002.
He was most recently a regular panelist on Funny You Should Ask between 2017 and 2020.
Anderson also drew acclaim for his short-lived animated sitcom Life with Louie which aired on Fox between 1994 and 1998.
