Billy Bragg in 'Best in Show'
Fred in 'Best in Show'

Fred Willard, RIP

Great comedian and actor Fred Willard has died of natural causes on Friday. He was 86. Jamie Lee Curtis, who is married to Fred’s good friend and collaborator Christopher Guest, tweeting, “How lucky that we all got to enjoy Fred Willard’s gifts. He is with his missed Mary now. Thanks for the deep belly laughs Mr. Willard.” Willard’s daughter, Hope Mulbarger, said in a statement, “My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old. He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever.” Harry Shearer wrote “Just about the funniest human ever to walk the planet.”

Born in 1933 in Shaker Heights, OH, Willard was an alumnus of Second City comedy troupe, and used his dry wit, improv skills and great comic timing in so many great television shows and movies over the last 50 years. He’s probably best known for his mockumentaries with Christopher guest, including Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, and A Mighty Wind but he also had memorable roles in This is Spinal Tap, Anchorman, and television shows like Modern Family, Roseanne, Everybody Loves Raymond, Review, cult series Fernwood Tonight, and more. He’s in the upcoming netflix series Space Force as well.

Fred, thanks for the laughs. Rest in peace. Watch a few clips of Fred in his element, plus read tributes from Shearer, Michael McKean, Judd Apatow, Jimmy Kimmel and more, below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S94mgsiFhic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44smgtX4LGc

https://twitter.com/SteveMartinToGo/status/1261765176136568833

https://twitter.com/GhostPanther/status/1261749794730467329

https://twitter.com/therealelp/status/1261737957049995265
https://twitter.com/SteveCarell/status/1261735731728277504