obits

Charles Grodin, Actor and Late-Night Staple, Has Died at 86

Photo: Jim Henson Productions

Charles Grodin, a comedic actor and frequent talk-show guest, died at the age of 86 on Tuesday in his home in Wilton, Connecticut, according to the New York Times. His son told the Times the cause was bone-marrow cancer. Born in Pittsburgh, Grodin dropped out of the University of Miami to pursue an acting career. In 1962, he made his Broadway debut as part of the supporting cast of Tchin-Tchin and went on to star in Same Time, Next Year on Broadway in 1975. In Hollywood, Grodin became a popular comedic actor, known for his characters in films like The Heartbreak Kid, Midnight Run, Heaven Can Wait, and Beethoven. He also starred in The Great Muppet Caper as a villain and onscreen love interest for Miss Piggy, later writing about a one-night tryst with the puppet diva for Vulture. Grodin was an Emmy Award–winning writer for his work on a Paul Simon special and also authored several autobiographies and plays. In 1993, he won an American Comedy Award for his supporting role in the political-comedy film Dave. The host of CNBC’s The Charles Grodin Show in the mid-1990s, Grodin himself was known as a beloved late-night-TV guest. He made 17 appearances on Late Night With David Letterman and 36 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and he reportedly was banned from Saturday Night Live for his antics.

Charles Grodin, Actor and Late-Night Staple, Has Died at 86