First we lost Mean Gene, and now Marty Funkhouser and Super Dave Osborne have gone as well. The latter two were both iconic characters portrayed by the great comedian and actor Bob Einstein who died today after a battle with cancer at age 76. Brother of another very funny guy, Albert Brooks, Bob got his start writing on The Smothers Brothers and Sonny & Cher variety shows in the ’60s, he created the Evil Knievel-like stuntman character Super Dave Osborne for the The John Byner Comedy Hour in the early ’70s but Super Dave soon took on a life of its own. Super Dave, whose stunts had a pretty low success rate, got his own series on Showtime in the ’80s and then an animated series in the ’90s. He continued to play Super Dave into the mid-’00s. Einstein’s other famous character is Marty Funkhouser on Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, and appeared in six seasons of the series. He also had a memorable bit part in Albert Brooks’ film Modern Romance, and was in the third season of Arrested Development.

Rest in peace, Bob. Watch some classic clips, and read tributes from everyone from Albert Brooks to Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFqwGy8OfkY

Filed under: 
Categories: