Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried, perhaps best known for his iconic and exaggerated voice, has died at 67, his family confirmed.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness,” they said in a statement. “In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor. Love, the Gottfried family.”
Per Entertainment Weekly, Gottfried died due to complications from recurrent ventricular tachycardia, which is caused by a rare disease called myotonic dystrophy type II. According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, it can result in an abnormal heartbeat by affecting a person’s muscles.
Among those to express their condolences on Tuesday was Seinfeld star Jason Alexander. “Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily,” he tweeted. “What a gift. I did not know him well but Loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family.”
Outside of his stand-up work, Gottfried was also known for his acting career. Some of his most famous voice roles include the parrot Iago in Aladdin, and Krang in the 2014 series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Additionally, he voiced Aflac’s duck mascot until 2011. He was also briefly a Saturday Night Live cast member during its sixth season, and appeared in films like Beverly Hills Cop II and Problem Child.
