American actor, Jack Riley, died at the age of 80 on Friday morning. According to his representative, the voice of Stu Pickles on Rugrats died from pneumonia in Los Angeles.
Known best for his roles in The Bob Newhart Show and Rugrats, the Cleveland native, Jack Riley, died of pneumonia at a hospital in Los Angeles. The 80-year-old comedic actor and voice artist passed away early Friday morning, according to his representative, Paul Doherty.
After working with Riley on his famous sitcom, The Bob Newhart Show, Bob Newhart (one of the show’s main character) referred to the artist as a dear friend and one of the TV’s funniest comedy actors. Riley’s death leaves an emptiness in the hearts of everyone who had the opportunity of meeting him as a professional and a person, according to Newhart’s statement.
Riley is survived by his wife, Ginger Lawrence, two children, and two grandchildren.
Jack Riley: the comedic actor and voice artist
The American actor, voice artist, and comedian, Jack Riley, is known for his role of the grumpy, self-absorbed Elliot Carlin in The Bob Newhart Show and for providing the voice to “Stu Pickles” in Rugrats TV show.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, the 70’s TV star began his professional career in entertainment business after serving in the United States Army. During the 60’s, Riley became a famous radio personality in Cleveland, with his work on The Baxter & Riley Show, which did feature not only music but also comedy sketches.
In the middle of 1960’s, Riley gave up the radio show and moved to Los Angeles where he found his first opportunity of working in television. He started writing comedy sketches and then got acting roles. Despite having performed previous roles on TV, it was his characterization of the neurotic, bitter and selfish patient, Elliot Carlin, what gave him his greatest fame period. Riley appeared in 49 episodes of The Bob Newhart Show during six seasons.
Alongside his role of Elliot Carlin, Riley made special appearances on television in the 1970s and ’80s most famous sitcoms: The Mary Tyler Moore Show, I Dream of Jeannie, Diff’rent Strokes, Barney Miller, Hogan’s Heroes, Night Court, One day at a time and M*A*S*H.
BY 1985, he reprised his Bob Newhart’s patient’s role on the NBC medical series St. Elsewhere.
Riley also voiced numerous characters in television and radio shows. His most famous voicing was on Nickelodeon’s animated Rugrats (where he voiced Tommy’s and Dil’s father, Stu Pickles). The artist voiced Stu Pickles during 143 episodes of the original Nickelodeon series, 18 episodes of Rugrats’ spin-off All Grown Up! and several films and video games of the show.
During the 90’s, the comedy actor continued to land guest spots on popular sitcoms’ episodes: Son of the Beach, Friends, Seinfeld, That’s 70’s Show, The Drew Carey Show, Coach, and Saturday Night Live.
On the big screen, Riley appeared in the Mel Brooks films “High Anxiety,” “History of the World: Part I,” and “Spaceballs.”
Source: Newsday