Actor and comedian Dom DeLuise passed away Monday night at the age of 75. The prolific television and film veteran — whose credits ranged from films like Cannonball Run and Smokey and the Bandit II, in which he co-starred with friend Burt Reynolds, to the animated adventures The Secret of NIMH and Oliver and Company — also directed and produced, and was one of Hollywood’s best-known celebrity chefs.
DeLuise leaves behind a legacy of comic acting that dates back to the 1960s, when he was a regular on shows like The Dean Martin Summer Show. He also frequently worked with satirist auteur Mel Brooks, appearing in six Brooks classics (The Twelve Chairs, Blazing Saddles, Silent Movie, History of the World, Part 1, Spaceballs, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights).
With Reynolds, DeLuise made Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run II, Smokey and the Bandit II, The End, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and the animated children’s movie All Dogs Go To Heaven. DeLuise most often played sidekick or simpatico to Reynolds, with whom he was close off-screen.
In a statement given to Entertainment Tonight, Reynolds reflected on the passing of his old friend. “I was thinking the other day about this. As you get older you think about this more and more; I was dreading this moment. Dom always made everyone feel better when he was around. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. I will miss him very much.”
For a full look at Dom DeLuise’s film career, visit his profile page on RT.
