Comic Actor with Loud, Distinct Voice, Gilbert Gottfried, Dies at 67

Funnyman Gilbert Gottfried Passes Away

Everybody’s favorite loudmouth from countless comic films, Gilbert Gottfried, has sadly passed away at the age of 67.

He was certainly an acquired taste but nobody can deny that Gilbert Gottfried was a very talented man. A comic actor with a very distinct voice, he is probably best known for his work as the wise-cracking parrot, Iago, in Disney’s Aladdin and some of its follow-up animated pictures. Gottfried had a known heart condition and passed away today due to “Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia due to Myotonic Dystrophy type II,” according to People.

I remember my first experiences watching Gottfried doing his crazy comedy routines and playing off-the-wall characters that seemed greatly exaggerated. I thought, at first, he was extremely annoying but grew to love his work over the years especially when he played Iago, the hilarious parrot in Disney’s masterpiece, Aladdin. Gottfried’s biggest early role before Aladdin was in Problem Child from 1990 where he played opposite another funnyman who died too soon, John Ritter. In Problem Child, Gottfried shone as Mr. Peabody, who turns over the child from hell to an unsuspecting couple looking to adopt a kid.

Even before that John Ritter movie, Gottfried was a staple in comic cinema with turns in Beverly Hills Cop II where he played opposite Eddie Murphy and the goofy screwball horse comedy, Hot to Trot, where Gottfried co-starred with Bobcat Goldthwait and the voice of another gone-too-soon comedy legend, John Candy. Gottfried’s biggest break, perhaps, came from getting a role on the immensely popular TV series, “The Cosby Show” in 1987 as Mr. Babcock. Let’s not forget that Gottfried reprised his role as Mr. Peabody in Problem Child 2, the sequel to the immensely popular surprise hit movie.

Gottfried carved out a career for himself doing a lot of voice-over work after his star-making turn in Aladdin in movies like 1994’s Thumbelina cartoon and the TV Show, “Beavis and Butt-Head.” Gottfried even turned up in a “Married… with Children” episode and fluctuated between television and film work regularly. He was also regularly featured on “Saturday Night Live.”

In the puppet TV show, “Crank Yankers” Gottfried made terrific use of his annoying signature voice and won over even more fans. He even got his voice into a video game, Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. He later was heard in the Lego DC Super-Villains game as well. It may seem odd featuring Gottfried’s passing in movie news as he was more prominently known for his TV work but Gottfried’s parts in Problem Child and the first Aladdin were hugely beloved by people who grew up in the time period those films were released.

Gottfried leaves behind two children and his wife as well as a legacy that definitely showcased his very distinct vocal talents. A comedic actor with genuine talent that has never really been duplicated, Gottfried stood as a true original and will be missed by those who adored his work.

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