Louie Anderson, longtime comic and game show host who won an Emmy for his supporting role as Christine Baskets in the FX series “Baskets,” has died at age 68.
He passed in Las Vegas following after undergoing treatment for diffuse large B cell lymphoma. His publicist confirmed his death to Deadline Friday.
Perhaps best known for his brilliant, subversive turn in the 1988 comedy “Coming to America,” he scored the role as the sole white person in the groundbreaking comedy. Anderson chalked it up to his nice-guy Midwestern roots.
In the late ’80s, Anderson, a Saint Paul, Minn., native, was at the swanky Beverly Hills celeb magnet restaurant the Ivy when Eddie Murphy and his entourage were dining, with explicit instructions to the waiter not to say it was Anderson.
Throughout his career of over 30 years, the 3-time Emmy Award winner became known as one of America’s most beloved comics … He was named “One of 100 Greatest Stand-Up Comedians of All Time” by Comedy Central.
Louie made his network debut as a stand-up comedian on “The Tonight Show” back in 1984. And since then, he has become a household name, acting in lots of TV shows and movies … like “Baskets” and “Coming to America” to name a few.
Louie also made a name for himself, by touring and doing his own specials and sitcoms. He was shown to turn the ups and downs of his childhood into laughter.
Just last year, Anderson made headlines when he opened up about his weight loss journey and losing 30 to 40 pounds during the pandemic … which, he says was a result of intermittent fasting.
Louie continued to tour worldwide before being hospitalized … doing what he does best, making others laugh. His legacy will surely live on.
He was 68.
