Harvey Herschel Korman 1927 - 2008

Harvey Korman, 1 of the great comedic actors of TV & movies & Emmy Award winner, passed away at the Ucla Medical Center in Los Angeles on Thursday after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

My 1st memories of him were from watching The Carol Burnett Show. Whether it was an original character like Ed Higgins or a take off of Clark Gable he could always bring a laugh. But the biggest laughs often came when he appeared in drag as the overly amply bossommed Mother Markus, Conoga Falls resident Yenta, in the soap opera spoof As the Stomach Turns. & when Tim Conway & him were together in a scene, you knew that neither would be able to keep a straight face. It wasn't til much later I realized that he was also the voice of The Great Gazoo on The Flintstones. He went on to star in several Mel Brooks movies. His best Brooks role was Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles. (A take-off on Hedy Lamarr that resulted in a law suit by her.)

Here are some of his best.

As the Stomach Turns Mother Markus (shows up about 2 minutes in):

Dentist Sketch from The Carol Burnett Show

Went With the Wind (The Carol Burnett Show)

Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles

"Kinky!"

"Now go do, that voodoo, that you do, so well!"

(Photo: Harvey Korman as Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles)