Dead Celebrity Alert

Obit to come.

Buddy Hackett, who broke into comedy as a young waiter-performer in New York’s Catskill Mountains and went on to achieve iconic status as a raunchy nightclub performer and rubber-faced clown in movies including “The Music Man” and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” died Monday at his home in Malibu. He was 78.

The cause of death was not immediately clear. Hackett had been suffering from a chest cold, although he had been in “robust good health” until a few days ago, according to a family spokesperson.

Hackett hadn’t worked professionally since 1996, when he stopped performing after experiencing dizziness and shortness of breath onstage. …

Like Milton Berle or Henny Youngman or Red Buttons, Hackett is among the pantheon of Jewish comedians forever associated with the rise of the stand-up comic on stage, radio and, eventually, television. … Read full obituary

LOS ANGELES — Buddy Hackett, the squat, round, rubbery-faced funnyman who appeared for more than 50 years as a top act in nightclubs, Broadway shows, on television and in such movies as The Music Man, The Love Bug and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, has died, his son confirmed Monday night. He was 79. … Read full obituary

Comedian Milton Berle, one of the pioneering legends of television known to a generation of devoted fans as “Uncle Miltie,” died Wednesday at his home in Beverly Hills, his publicist said. He was 93.

Berle, who had been in failing health in recent years, died in his sleep while taking a nap, publicist Roger Neale said. His wife, Lorna, was at home with him when he died.

Berle is also survived by a son and a daughter. Funeral arrangements are pending.

“What a remarkable man, what a remarkable career,” Bob Hope and his wife, Dolores, said in a statement. “Eighty-eight years in show business, a brilliant comedian, an accomplished actor, a lifelong friend.” … Read full obituary

Diminutive British-born comedian Dudley Moore, who became one of Hollywood’s most unlikely sex symbols thanks to his starring role in “10,” died on Wednesday of pneumonia after a long battle against a rare brain disorder, his Los Angeles spokeswoman said.

The 66-year-old Moore died at the Plainfield, New Jersey, home of his caregiver surrounded by family and friends and a private funeral service is planned. … Read full obituary

Spike Milligan, one of the founding fathers of 20th century British comedy and zany genius behind BBC Radio’s The Goon Show, has died at the age of 83.

Milligan died of liver failure at his home at Rye, Sussex, surrounded by family.

Along with fellow Goons Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe, Milligan influenced with his surreal antics a whole generation of comedians from Beyond the Fringe to Monty Python’s Flying Circus. He was the last of the comic trio to die.

His greatest fan was Prince Charles, once famously labelled “a grovelling little bastard” on live television by Milligan.

Milligan made it up with Charles after his “bastard” remark by sending him a telegram saying, “I suppose a knighthood is out of the question now?” But it wasn’t — Milligan was given an honorary knighthood two years ago. … Read full obituary