Actor, comedian, talk show host and political pundit Charles Grodin passed away today of bone marrow cancer. He was 86.
After appearing in supporting roles in Rosemary's Baby and Catch-22, Grodin had a breakout role in the 1972 film The Heartbreak Kid alongside Cybil Sheppard and Eddie Albert. However, he would spend most of 1970's and 1980's in supporting roles in movies like King Kong, Heaven Can Wait, Seems Like Old Times, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, The Great Muppet Caper, The Lonely Guy, The Woman in Red, Ishtar as well as co-starring with Robert DeNiro in Midnight Run. In the early 1990's, Grodin enjoyed box office success in the Beethoven movies as well as in Dave with Kevin Kline.
During the mid-1990's, Grodin made a career shift when he became the host of The Charles Grodin Show on CNBC which focused on current events. In 2000, Grodin became a commentator on 60 Minutes II. After several years of family life, Grodin returned to acting making appearances during the 2010's on shows like Law & Order: SVU, The Michael J. Fox Show and Louie.
Grodin collaborated with Simon & Garfunkel directing two TV specials - Songs of America (1969) and The Paul Simon Special (1977) for which he won a writing Emmy.
I remember Grodin best for putting on an antagonistic persona. In 1977, Grodin hosted SNL and came off as completely bumbling and constantly forgetting the show was live. The aforementioned Paul Simon was the musical guest and the two came out to perform a duet with Grodin donning an Art Garfunkel wig with disastrous but hilarious results.
This antagonistic persona would be put on full display during his many appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Late Night with David Letterman. It could get awkward and uncomfortable but it made for amusing TV as demonstrated by this exchange between Grodin and Johnny Carson in 1990. R.I.P.
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