Fred Willard

[DrGreggles]

Dead at 86.
RIP

[lankyguy95]

One of the funniest guys around. It all seemed to come so naturally to him, a talent to be envied by very many and replicated by very few.

RIP.

[Sebastian Cobb]

:(

" I went to one of those obedience places once... it was all going well until they spilled hot candle wax on my private parts"

[Rizla]

RIP. He was outstanding in Spinal Tap and Review with Forrest.

[Cuellar]

:(

[selectivememory]

RIP. One of those people who was just great whenever he popped up in something.

His character's

Spoiler alert

death

[close]

in Review with Forrest MacNeil is without doubt one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Eh? Wha' happened?

[chveik]

His character's

Spoiler alert

death

[close]

in Review with Forrest MacNeil is without doubt one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

I thoroughly agree. RIP big lad

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

RIP

I agree with the above comments too. There was a gentleness of touch to his performances, people my age were lucky to see him recognised by younger writers and casting crew and involved in so many 21st century projects even in his dotage.

I'm sure CaB being CaB we will be treated to an anecdote where he glassed a woman in a bar, but for now I just want to imagine him as a serene beacon of mirth. Let's just give it a few minutes.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Dead Willard.

What a great actor he was. He's been in some absolute dreck, but he never phoned it in. He was always on top of his game, even when the project didn't deserve it.

RIP, you gentle titan.

[Indomitable Spirit]

One of the funniest fuckers ever.

[QDRPHNC]

I CAN'T DO MY WRERK

Seriously though, terrible. He was unbelievably funny. Here's him advertising the Cinco Mancierge.

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

Died on the operating table getting penis reduction surgery in Jefferson City. Legend.

[Dusty Substance]

The curse of the Norm MacDonald Podcast.

[DrGreggles]

A lot of the funniest people ever say Fred was the funniest person ever.

I remember Christopher Guest saying that there's so little of him in 'This Is Spinal Tap' because he kept making everyone else corpse and they ended up with hardly any usable footage of him.

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

Ohhhh man and they killed off his character in Modern Family earlier this year.

[lazyhour]

Damn. His turn in Best In Show is one of my favourite comedy performances of all time.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

A lot of the funniest people ever say Fred was the funniest person ever.

Just utter joy. You don't have the conflict of having to incorporate an 'off-stage persona' or even deal with the diversity of him doing other material (necessarily). My entire memory of him is just being a deft-handed utter delight.

[Small Man Big Horse]

RIP. One of those people who was just great whenever he popped up in something.

His character's

Spoiler alert

death

[close]

in Review with Forrest MacNeil is without doubt one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

Despite being in a huge amount of things that I love it was his appearance, and that scene, that first sprang in to my mind.

I know 86 is a decent age but for me it's extremely sad news as he was a clearly still a very talented individual and had a hell of a lot to offer.

Edit: Just noticed that The AV Club is cashing in on his death by reposting their Random Roles interviews with him, but it is a fantastic read and worth checking out - https://film.avclub.com/fred-willard-on-playing-boobs-and-the-occasional-author-1798232368

[Dewt]

RIP. He was outstanding in Spinal Tap and Review with Forrest.

I think his best movie in that series was Best In Show

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

He radiated mirth, a naturally hilarious man. "I only had to look at him and laugh!" is a cliche, but Willard was one of those rare comic performers whose mere presence was funny in itself. And his delivery was impeccable, he could wring so many laughs from a scene. An utterly brilliant comedian. RIP.

[ollyboro]

His know nothing jobbing commentator from Best In Show makes me ache every time. There's a moment when a well proportioned lady is running with her dog and her tits are going everywhere. Willard doesn't do the obvious and make some crass comment, instead - for once - he says nothing. But you know exactly what he's thinking.

[Dewt]

His know nothing jobbing commentator

Great description of that character. I love thinking about his comment about "those birds on Carnaby Street". I love it when Americans try hard and get it wrong.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

He radiated mirth, a naturally hilarious man. "I only had to look at him and laugh!" is a cliche, but Willard was one of those rare comic performers whose mere presence was funny in itself. And his delivery was impeccable, he could wring so many laughs from a scene. An utterly brilliant comedian. RIP.

Mmm, indeed. Often trusted to provide simply a look or reaction in a shot. Always nailed it.

[famethrowa]

The 30 seconds-1 minute of WHA HAPPEN? in Mighty Wind is amazing, not even necessary to the film but it just sends it into the stratosphere perfectly. A crass, ignorant blowhard you can't help loving. So great.

One of my favourites is more recent, selling slop on Tim & Eric:

https://youtu.be/tKVgRxCdZXE

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

His performance in Best in Show is even better (the entire movie is really) if you know how pitch perfect and true to life it is. He based the character on longtime American baseball commentator Joe Garagiola, who obviously knew absolutely nothing about dog shows but was inexplicably asked to host the Westminster dog show for several years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXWnkpKy3Ko

"Look at those dogs. They're just standing there!"

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Mmm, indeed. Often trusted to provide simply a look or reaction in a shot. Always nailed it.

He was just so brilliant at playing utterly oblivious characters. Jovial buffoons who were perfectly happy in their little bubbles of ignorance.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

His performance in Best in Show is even better (the entire movie is really) if you know how pitch perfect and true to life it is. He based the character on longtime American baseball commentator Joe Garagiola, who obviously knew absolutely nothing about dog shows but was inexplicably asked to host the Westminster dog show for several years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXWnkpKy3Ko

Haha, that's fantastic. No wonder Guest and Willard twigged that there was comedy gold in them thar hills.

[Blinder Data]

I don't know his work that well but, not only did he seem a talented comedic actor, he also came across a very nice bloke in podcasts/interviews. RIP

[samadriel]

Nooo, Dead Willard.

"He went for her like she was made outta ham!"
Just fantastic.