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Sid Caesar died Wednesday, his friend Carl Reiner confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
Caesar forever changed the course of television with his groundbreaking 1950s Saturday night variety shows, Your Show of Shows and Caesar’s Hour.
He was known for his physicality, improvisation, mimicry and whimsical double-talk.
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His observational humor exposed the truths of everyday life, producing writers and performers who set the comic agenda for decades.
He was a major influence on the likes of Reiner, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Woody Allen, so it’s only fitting that they’re among those in the comedy industry mourning his death.
“Inarguably he was the greatest single monologist and skit comedian we ever had,” Reiner said in a statement to THR. “Television owes him a debt of gratitude for his pioneering work and the great shows he gave us all. Render onto Caesar what is his due. He deserves real applause from the American people.”
Brooks, who also worked as one of Caesar’s writers, said: “Sid Caesar was a giant — maybe the best comedian who every practiced the trade. And I was privileged to be one of his writers and one of his friends.”
Allen, meanwhile, who used to work for Caesar as well, said in a statement obtained by THR, “He was one of the truly great comedians of my time, and one of the finest privileges I’ve had in my entire career was that I was able to work for him.”
Others took to Twitter to share their thoughts about Caesar with Larry King‘s tweet among the first to note that he had passed.
Take a look at what the stars are saying about Caesar’s death on Twitter.
RIP Sid Caesar. One of the best. You will be missed. These old time guys were so funny, and kept people laughing thru many bad times.
— Larry The Cable Guy (@GitRDoneLarry) February 12, 2014
RIP….Sid Caesar, one of the absolute masters…….
— Willie Garson (@WillieGarson) February 12, 2014
Sorry to learn about the passing of Sid Caesar-a dear friend, a comic genius & an American classic- there will never be another one like him
— Larry King (@kingsthings) February 12, 2014
Life…doing her thing, another great has passed Sid Caesar. Funny man We honored him at the very first Comic Relief. RIP turn turn turn
— Whoopi Goldberg (@WhoopiGoldberg) February 12, 2014
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