Actor and comedian Charles Grodin has passed away at the age of 86 on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. According to the New York Times Grodin was at his home in Wilton, Connecticut when he passed due to bone marrow cancer.
Grodin was best known for the hilarious comic wit that he demonstrated in such films as The Heartbreak Kid, Heaven Can Wait, Midnight Run, and for his role in the Beethoven movies. On the small screen, he made guest appearances in a variety of TV series including The Defenders, The Virginian, and Madoff.
He also had his own talk show for a time in the 1990s and frequently appeared on the talk shows of others. He made a staggering 36 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and 17 on Late Night With David Letterman.
On stage, Grodin starred with Ellen Burstyn in the Broadway play Same Time, Next Year, about a couple carrying on an annual affair. He also directed and wrote plays, and won an Emmy in 1977 as one of the writers on a Paul Simon TV special.
So said to hear. One of the funniest people I ever met: Charles Grodin, Star of ‘Beethoven’ and ‘Heartbreak Kid,’ Dies at 86 – https://t.co/OwDYFLIgae
— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) May 18, 2021
The youngest of two sons, Grodin was born on April 21, 1935, and raised in Pittsburgh, Connecticut. His father owned a store that sold supplies like zippers, buttons, and hangers to cleaners, tailors, and dressmakers.
Grodin is survived by his wife, author Elissa Durwood Grodin, their son Nicholas, and his daughter Marion.