Comic Actor Harvey Korman Dies

Comedian and voice actor Harvey Korman, 81, died Thursday, media outlets are reporting.

Korman, who voiced The Great Gazoo on THE FLINTSTONES, as well as dozens of guest voices on animated shows in his 47 year career, died at UCLA Medical Center after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said. He had undergone several major operations, according to the ASSOCIATED PRESS.

"A world without Harvey Korman -- it's a more serious world," Mel Brooks told the AP on Thursday. "It was very dangerous for me to work with him because if our eyes met we'd crash to floor in comic ecstasy. It was comedy heaven to make Harvey Korman laugh."

Korman voiced roles on shows like HEY ARNOLD!, THE WILD THORNBERRYS, BUZZ LIGHTYEAR OF STAR COMMAND, THE SECRET OF NIMH 2: TIMMY TO THE RESCUE and GARFIELD AND FRIENDS.

He was also very well known for his hilarious contributions to THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW, THE DANNY KAYE SHOW and Brooks' 1974 Western satire BLAZING SADDLES.

Korman and CAROL BURNETT co-star Tim Conway later toured together with their show, TIM CONWAY AND HARVEY KORMAN: TOGETHER AGAIN, doing as many as 120 shows a year into their 70s.

"He was a brilliant comedian and a brilliant father," daughter Kate Korman said in a telephone interview with the AP. "He had a very good sense of humor in real life."

In addition to Kate, he is survived by his wife and three other children.