(TruthandLiberty.com) – When Disney’s movie “Aladdin” hit movie screens in 1992, moviegoers fell in love with Iago, the parrot, voice-acted by comedian Gilbert Gottfried. He was annoying but hilarious as he followed the villain Jafar and commented on their antics. On Tuesday, April 12, Gottfried’s family announced the famous actor passed away at the age of 67 after a long illness. Gottfried’s publicist said he died of myotonic dystrophy type 2, a form of muscular dystrophy.
From the 1980s to the 2010s, the comedian was a staple on movie and television screens. He was 15 years old when he started stand-up comedy. While many knew Gottfried as the voice of Iago, he had one of the most unique and identifiable voices in Hollywood. For years, Gottfried was the voice of the Aflac duck, but he was also a regular on game shows, celebrity roasts, and numerous children’s animated series.
At times, Gottfried could also be crude and inappropriate. In a Variety review of the 2017 documentary titled “Gilbert,” Director Neil Berkeley said the comedian had no regrets. While some of his jokes were crude and indefensible, the director said Gottfried purposely designed his humor to mask his insecurities. He added Gottfried was simultaneously fearful and fearless.
Gottfried was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 28, 1955. His wife and two children survive him.
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