Tonight Show sidekick Ed McMahon, 86 passes.
Avuncular pitchman who did hundreds of voice-overs and commercials as as well as keep host Johhny Carson amused with his guffaws and "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere’s Johnny!" for 30 years died shortly after midnight at a LA hospital after being hospitalized for weeks with bone cancer and other diseases.
His rep Howard Bragman confirmed the death saying McMahon died at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center surrounded by friends and family.
Bragman said McMahon had a "multitude of health problems the last few months" and legal battles which no doubt hastened his passing.
McMahon broke his neck in a fall in March 2007, later suing the hospital for malpractice.
McMahon first met Johnny Carson on the game show Who Do You Trust? and when Carson took over NBC’s Tonight Show from Jack Paar in October 1962, McMahon played Johnny’s foil until Carson retired in 92.
"You can’t imagine hooking up with a guy like Carson," McMahon said in an interview.
"There’s the old phrase, hook your wagon to a star. I hitched my wagon to a great star."
McMahon was also host of the popular talent show Star Search back in the 1980s and was Budweiser spokesperson for years.
Hi – yooooo………………. And goodbye.
