U.S. Army Veteran & Veteran Actor Jack Riley who is best known for playing Elliot Carlin on “The Bob Newhart Show” dead at 80
Los Angeles: Veteran actor Jack Riley, who played a counselling client on "The Bob Newhart Show" in the 1970s and also voiced a character in the "Rugrats" animated series, breathed his last here on Friday. He was 80.
The actor's representative Paul Doherty confirmed the news of his demise, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Besides portraying the role of Elliot Carlin on “The Bob Newhart Show”, Riley appeared in the Mel Brooks films "History of the World: Part I”, "High Anxiety" and "Spaceballs" among his more than 150 projects over a career spanning five decades.
BIRTH NAME: John A. Riley Jr.
Cleveland-born comedy actor Jack Riley switched his career interest from baseball to acting after obtaining a radio job, writing and performing skits while attending John Carroll University. He toured military bases throughout the world in comedy shows after being drafted in the Army in 1958.
Following his discharge, he returned to radio and became one of Cleveland's top personalities before setting his sights on film and TV. Receiving a break from old radio pal Tim Conway, Jack headed west and began writing material especially for Tim for assorted TV guest appearances. He also performed in radio commercials.
Soon Riley was working in front of the camera, his first role being a regular part on the sitcom Occasional Wife (1966). Other parts soon came his way on various '60s laughfests, including Hogan's Heroes (1965), I Dream of Jeannie (1965) and especiallyRowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967) where both his writing and performing skills were utilized. It was also on "Laugh-In" that he met future wife Ginger Lawrence, the producer's assistant at the time. The slim actor sought out films in the '70s with roles inCatch-22 (1970), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), The Long Goodbye (1973), and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978). He also became a minor staple in Mel Brooks's spoofs, with Silent Movie (1976), High Anxiety (1977) and History of the World: Part I (1981) to his credit.
TV gave Jack his best shot, especially as the dry, terminally-depressed Elliot Carlin onThe Bob Newhart Show (1972), where his hilariously morose character proved a constant scene-stealer. Along with continued guest roles in Night Court (1984), Seinfeld(1989), and others, he appears on stage occasionally, most recently playing comedianFred Allen in "Mr. Allen, Mr. Allen".
Following his discharge, he returned to radio and became one of Cleveland's top personalities before setting his sights on film and TV. Receiving a break from old radio pal Tim Conway, Jack headed west and began writing material especially for Tim for assorted TV guest appearances. He also performed in radio commercials.
Soon Riley was working in front of the camera, his first role being a regular part on the sitcom Occasional Wife (1966). Other parts soon came his way on various '60s laughfests, including Hogan's Heroes (1965), I Dream of Jeannie (1965) and especiallyRowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967) where both his writing and performing skills were utilized. It was also on "Laugh-In" that he met future wife Ginger Lawrence, the producer's assistant at the time. The slim actor sought out films in the '70s with roles inCatch-22 (1970), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), The Long Goodbye (1973), and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978). He also became a minor staple in Mel Brooks's spoofs, with Silent Movie (1976), High Anxiety (1977) and History of the World: Part I (1981) to his credit.
TV gave Jack his best shot, especially as the dry, terminally-depressed Elliot Carlin onThe Bob Newhart Show (1972), where his hilariously morose character proved a constant scene-stealer. Along with continued guest roles in Night Court (1984), Seinfeld(1989), and others, he appears on stage occasionally, most recently playing comedianFred Allen in "Mr. Allen, Mr. Allen".
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