RIP, Captain Chaos

[Brad Johnson]

Dom DeLuise passed away.  About as unique as they come, and by all accounts a truly nice guy.

RIP.

From Fox News

Actor Dom DeLuise died last night in a Los Angeles hospital, Jeffrey Lane, an agent for Burt Reynolds confirmed to FOX News Tuesday.

The actor, famous for his roles in “The Cannonball Run,” “Blazing Saddles” and “Spaceballs,” passed away in his sleep at around 6 p.m.

He was 75 years old.

Reynolds expressed sadness at the news of his friend passing, telling FOX News in an email " I was thinking about this the other day. As you get older, and start to lose people you love, you think about it more, and I was dreading this moment. Dom always made you feel better when he was around and there will never be another like him. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. I will miss him very much."

DeLuise was born in Brooklyn in 1933 to John and Vincenza DeLuise. He graduated from the Manhattan School of the Performing Arts before breaking into the off-Broadway circuit in the 1960s.

He later established a solid comedic career, appearing on several variey shows like "The Garry Moore show" and "The Entertainers."

PHOTOS: Click here to see photos of Dom DeLuise.

He made his film debut in the Sidney Lumet drama "Fail-Safe" in 1964, though he is best known for his roles as film director Buddy Bizarre in "Blazing Saddles" and the all-star variety project "The Cannonball Run," in which he starred with Reynolds.

In addition to his film, television and theater work, he also established himself as a celebrity chef, writing several cookbooks as well as children's books in the 1990s.

Because of his passion for food, the actor battled obesity throughout much of his life, his weight reaching as much as 325 pounds at one point. For years, he resisted the efforts of family members and doctors who tried to put him on various diets. He finally agreed in 1993 when he needed hip replacement surgery and his doctor refused to perform it until he lost 100 pounds.

He and his family enrolled at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C., and DeLuise lost enough weight for the surgery, although he gained some of it back afterward.

On the positive side, his love of food resulted in two successful cookbooks, 1988's "Eat This — It Will Make You Feel Better!" and 1997's "Eat This Too! It'll Also Make You Feel Good."

At his Pacific Palisades home, DeLuise often prepared feasts for family and friends. One lunch began with turkey soup and ended with strawberry shortcake. In between, were platters of beef filet, chicken breast and sausage, a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and a saucer of lettuce.

He strongly resembled the famed chef Paul Prudhomme and joked in a 1987 Associated Press interview that he had posed as Prudhomme while visiting his New Orleans restaurant, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen.

In 2006, he suffered a brief health scare when he collapsed in his home. His health records were also subject to public scrutiny, after they were involved in a very public story about hospital staff snooping through the confidential files of celebrity patients.

He is survived by his wife Carol, three sons Peter, Michael and Dave, and three grandchildren, Riley, Dylan and Jake.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[SADShooter]

That was the steam I heard escaping...

[Werewolf]

Dom DeLouise always struck me as a truly happy guy who enjoyed life and people. He brought joy to many thru his work.

The world is a bit less cheerful with his passing.

[Hawkmoon]

He and Burt Reynolds really did seem to be great buddies and to enjoy working together. Ever watch the out-takes from Cannonball Run? The way those guys cracked each other up, it's a major miracle they could finish the film.

[roo_ster]

From nationalreview.com:

"I’ll never forget him.

When I was a young soldier, fresh out of basic training, some friends and I took a bus from Fort Dix, NJ, to Manhattan. We were able to afford the weekend in the city only because of the rooms offered at the Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmen's Club (just a couple blocks north of NR headquarters) at a military-friendly price. Part of what they did there was to bring in celebrities to visit with the troops.

The weekend we were there, Dom DeLuise was the visiting celebrity. I couldn’t believe it. He had dinner with us and sat there for hours telling and listening to jokes. He was so gracious and appreciative. He was very generous with his time.

Years later, I wrote him a letter to thank him for his kindness. I didn’t expect to hear back except maybe through a form letter from a publicist. I was wrong. He called my house, thanked me for my service and told me to let him know if there was ever anything he could do."

[digitalandanalog]

Damn it. Now my eyesight is getting blurry.

I have to watch Cannonball run now.

[wmenorr67]

How soon before all the great ones are gone?  We just lost Bea Arthur last week, Dom this week.  It is getting to the point I don't want to even check the news because of who is next.

[seeker_two]

He was one of the greats.....FATSO was a masterpiece...hate to see him go.... 

...fortunately, he passed on some talent to his sons.... 

[AmbulanceDriver]

He and Burt Reynolds really did seem to be great buddies and to enjoy working together. Ever watch the out-takes from Cannonball Run? The way those guys cracked each other up, it's a major miracle they could finish the film.

Here's a few....  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgD5YdE0oYc

[T.O.M.]

If nothing else, the man was a shining example of how to live life.  He pursued his loves with great passion.  His acting was never going to win an Oscar, but he appears to have had great funing doing it, and lord knows how many people he has made laugh over the decades.  When acting stepped aside, his love for good food apparently led him to become a respected chef.  Would that we could all do what we loved, and when we stopped doing that, to be able to do something else we also loved.