Louie Anderson

Louis Perry Anderson (March 24, 1953 – January 21, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, author and game show host. He created the cartoon series Life with Louie and the television sitcom The Louie Show, and wrote four books, including Hey Mom: Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too, which was published in 2018. Anderson was the third host of the game show Family Feud from 1999 to 2002 — the first host in its third and current run.

For his performance on the FX comedy television series Baskets, Anderson received three consecutive Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominations and won once in 2016.

Anderson performed a stand-up show called Louie: Larger Than Life in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 2003 through 2012. The show originated at the Union Plaza hotel downtown, before moving to Excalibur, South Point, and Palace Station hotels.

Early life Anderson was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the son of Ora Zella (née Prouty; 1912–1990), a Mayflower descendant, and Louis William Anderson (1901–1980). His father was a trumpeter for singer Hoagy Carmichael. Anderson was the second youngest of 11 children in his family. In a 2016 interview on WTF with Marc Maron, Anderson revealed that his mother actually gave birth to 16 children, but five of them—the first baby and then two sets of twins—died at birth. Anderson described his father as an abusive alcoholic.

Anderson attended Johnson Senior High in Saint Paul.

Career

Anderson made his television debut on January 13, 1984, on Rodney Dangerfield's Young Comedians Special on HBO.

1980s Anderson made his first movie appearance alongside Dabney Coleman in the movie Cloak and Dagger as taxi driver #2 (released July 13, 1984), a small role with one line. On November 20, 1984, Anderson made his network debut as a comedian on The Tonight Show. In late 1985, Anderson was cast as Lou Appleton alongside Bronson Pinchot on the pilot episode of Perfect Strangers for ABC (which was known in this early stage as The Greenhorn). When the show was picked up, Anderson was replaced by Mark Linn-Baker in the role of Appleton (whose first name was then changed from Lou to Larry) as the producers did not think the chemistry between Anderson and Pinchot was quite right. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC. Anderson had a small role in the singing-telegram scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as well as appearing in a comedy special on Showtime.

Anderson also played a role in John Landis' film Coming to America, which starred Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, a role which he reprised in the 2021 sequel. Murphy requested Anderson be hired for Coming To America after producers wanted a white actor in the otherwise African-American cast; Murphy described his friend Anderson as "the funniest white guy around". Anderson also starred in the 1988 camp comedy The Wrong Guys, based on a story by John Hughes.

In 1989, Anderson guest-starred on the first episode of The Muppets television segment of The Jim Henson Hour.

1990s In 1995, Anderson created and produced a Saturday-morning animated series for Fox called Life with Louie. The series was based on his childhood with 10 siblings, a sweet-hearted mother and a loud, war-crazed father. It also detailed how Anderson was bullied for his weight, and how he used comedy to deal with the teasing. The show was a three-year hit on Fox, and won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program.

Anderson created and starred in The Louie Show for CBS. The show had him playing a psychotherapist in Duluth, Minnesota. The show ran six episodes before it was canceled.

Anderson landed the role of host of the new version of Family Feud in 1999. In 2001, Anderson organized a 9/11-themed tournament week of Family Feud between the FDNY and the NYPD, putting up $75,000 toward both organizations for recovery from the September 11 attacks. Anderson was let go from the show in 2002 and was replaced by Richard Karn.

2000s In 2000, Anderson appeared as a panelist on an episode of To Tell the Truth hosted by John O'Hurley, and in 2001, he appeared on an episode of Weakest Link, winning $31,000. Anderson made appearances on network television in Scrubs, Grace Under Fire, Touched by an Angel (Then Sings My Soul, November 28, 1999), and Chicago Hope. He guest starred on the Adult Swim cameo-filled show Tom Goes to the Mayor. ?

Anderson played in the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

2010s Anderson filmed a standup special entitled Louie Anderson: Big Baby Boomer. In it, he poked fun at his bad habits, pesky family members, and aging body.

In 2013, Anderson appeared in the ABC reality television series Splash. After practicing several dives into a swimming pool then nearly drowning, he needed help getting out from co-star football player Ndamukong Suh. Anderson signed on as the promotional spokesperson for his home state's Land O'Lakes Sweet Cream butter brand. He appeared in radio jingles, web ads, and television commercials promoting the product.

From 2016 to 2019, Anderson played the part of Christine Baskets on the FX comedy series Baskets. Anderson won the 2016 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance. Anderson was a regular panelist on the TV game show Funny You Should Ask from September 2017 until the show went on hiatus in 2020.

Stand-up style Dennis Miller called him "one of the lightest on his feet comedians I know ... There's very few guys I'm going to leave my dressing room early (to watch). ... (Louie has) a Fred Astaire, with a broken leg, approach. Very quick thinking, and he wouldn't hammer points home, but he would do a 'weave-back' that was almost Pulp Fiction-like."

Personal life In 1984, Anderson married Diane Jean Vono; however, they divorced after four months. In 1985, Anderson married his high school sweetheart, Norma J. Walker. The marriage lasted only four weeks.

Blackmailing incident In 1997, Anderson was blackmailed by Richard John Gordon, who threatened to tell tabloids that Anderson sexually propositioned him in a casino in 1993. In 1997 and 1998, Anderson paid Gordon $100,000 in hush money, fearing that the story would threaten his starring roles in two family-oriented series, but when Gordon's demands increased to $250,000 in 2000, Anderson's lawyer informed federal authorities. Gordon, who was 31 at the time, was arrested after leading FBI agents on a high-speed chase along Santa Monica Boulevard. Gordon was fined and sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Health In 2003, Anderson underwent two successful heart procedures.

Death On January 18, 2022, it was announced that Anderson had been hospitalized in Las Vegas for large B-cell lymphoma; he had first been diagnosed with cancer a decade earlier, but kept the information private. Anderson died of complications from the cancer on January 21 at age 68.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role 1984 Cloak & Dagger Taxi Driver #2 1986 Quicksilver Tiny Ferris Bueller's Day Off Flower Deliveryman Ratboy Omer Morrison 1988 The Wrong Guys Louie Coming to America Maurice 1992 Bebe's Kids Security Guard #1 (voice) 1996 Mr. Wrong Himself 2002 Do It for Uncle Manny Tow Truck Driver 2005 Back by Midnight Game Show Host 2007 Cook Off! Mayor Doug Halverson 2017 Sandy Wexler Himself 2021 Coming 2 America Maurice (final film role)

Television Year Title Role Notes19849th Annual Young Comedians SpecialHimselfHosted by Rodney Dangerfield and featuring Anderson, Sam Kinison, Bob Saget, Rita Rudner, Yakov Smirnoff 1986–1988 The New Hollywood Squares 13 episodes 1986 Remington Steele Bingham 'Bing' Perret Episode: "Steele Spawning" 1987 Trying Times Stu Episode: "Bedtime Story" 1989 The Jim Henson Hour Himself / Space Guy Episode #1: "Outer Space/The Heartless Giant" 1994 Grace Under Fire Dr. Andy Lewinson Episode: "Tears of Joy" 1995–1998 Life with Louie Andy Anderson / Little Louie (voice) 26 episodesDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program (1996–97)Nominated—Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program 1995 Love & War James the Cat (voice) Episode: "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and a Cat" 1996 The Louie Show Louie Lundgren 6 episodes 1997 Chicago Hope Louie Lickman Episode: "Growing Pains"Rodney Dangerfield's 75th Birthday Toast HimselfRodney Dangerfield introduced Louie to a national audience and Louie participated in this roast to honor and thank him 1999 Touched by an Angel Uncle Dudley Episode: "Then Sings My Soul" 1998–2002 Hollywood Squares Himself 12 episodes 1999–2002 Family Feud Himself / Host 2000 To Tell the Truth Himself / Panelist Ally McBeal Therapist Episode: "Without a Net" 2001 Nash Bridges Richard Reynolds Episode: "Blood Bots" Scrubs Himself Episode: "My Two Dads" V.I.P. Homeless Person Episode: "Kayus Ex Machina" 2005 Half & Half Louie Episode: "The Big Credit Check Episode" Joey Himself Episode: "Joey and the Poker" 2006 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Burt (voice) Episode: "Fear and Loathing in Endsville" 2006 Tom Goes to the Mayor Mining Team of Louie Andersons (voice) Episode: "White Collarless" 2013 Splash (American TV series) Himself 4 episodes, eliminated in week 5 2015–2017 Pickle and Peanut Gory Agnes (voice) 2 episodes 2016–2019 Baskets Christine Baskets 39 episodesCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesNominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2017–18)Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film 2016 Drunk History Winston Churchill Episode: "The Roosevelts" 2017 Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special HimselfTelevision special 2017 Penn & Teller: Fool Us Season 4, Episode 3 - "Teller Flips a Bird" 2017–2020 Funny You Should Ask 215 episodes 2019 Long Island Medium Episode: "A Spirit Returns" Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Player Episode: 104 2020 Young Sheldon Ralph Episode: "An Academic Crime and a More Romantic Taco Bell" Search Party Bob Lunch 5 episodes 2021 No Activity (voice) Episode: "40 Days & 40 Nights" Twenties Maurice 2 episodes2021–2022Tig n' SeekChester (voice) 8 episodes (final/posthumous role)

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2000 Family Feud Himself

Books Anderson authored the following:

A collection of letters to his late father A self-help book for those who struggle with self-esteem issues 49 family survival tips