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 Publicist Howard Bragman said Conway died in the Los Angeles
area on Tuesday morning. Prior to his death, he had suffered
complications from normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and had
no signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s, Bragman said.
Conway won three Emmy awards for acting on the Burnett show and
a fourth as a writer in the 1960s and '70s. He also won guest
actor Emmys for a 1996 appearance on "Coach" and another in 2008
for "30 Rock."
Burnett said on Tuesday she was "heartbroken" at Conway's death.
"He was one in a million, not only as a brilliant comedian but
as a loving human being. I cherish the times we had together
both on the screen and off. He’ll be in my heart forever," she
said in a statement.
Vicki Lawrence, who co-starred on "The Carol Burnett Show,"
called Conway "hysterical, crazy, bold, fearless, humble, kind,
adorable...The angels are laughing out loud tonight," the
actress wrote on Tuesday in an Instagram posting.
Conway first found television fame on the 1960s comedy "McHale's
Navy" playing Ensign Parker, a befuddled by-the-book officer in
a group of unconventional sailors in the Pacific during World
War Two.
He would find greater success in the comedy sketches on
Burnett's show starting in 1968. He was at his best with
characters that were a little naive, clumsy or slow-witted, and
especially when teamed with straight man Harvey Korman and given
the chance to show off his improvisational and slapstick skills.
"Nobody could be with Tim and keep a straight face once he got
on a roll," Burnett said in a 2003 interview with the Television
Academy Foundation.
She said Conway would stick with a sketch's script through dress
rehearsal but once it was time to tape the performance for a
broadcast, he began freelancing. His improvised antics often
reduced his co-stars - especially his close friend Korman - to
tears of laughter.
"I think Conway's goal in life was to destroy Harvey," Burnett
told the Television Academy Foundation.
DANGEROUS DENTIST
In one popular skit, Conway's portrayal of an inept dentist who
accidentally injects himself with painkiller resulted in Korman,
who was playing the patient, laughing so hard that he wet his
pants, Burnett said.
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Conway's other most memorable recurring characters included an
elderly man whose shuffling pace always caused trouble and Mr.
Tudball, a businessman plagued by an indifferent and inept secretary
played by Burnett.
Conway started on the show as a guest star in its first season in
1967 but did not officially become a regular until 1975.
"People have often asked me, 'If you weren't in show business, what
would you be doing?'" Conway wrote in his memoir "What's So Funny?:
My Hilarious Life." "The truth is I don't think there's anything
else I could be doing so the answer would have to be, nothing ... I
guess you could say I'm in the only business I could be in."
His popularity on the Burnett program led to his own shows - a
sitcom in 1970 and a variety show in 1980 - and they lasted about a
year each. He said they failed because he was not comfortable being
the star.
Before Korman's death in 2008 he and Conway toured with an act that
featured stand-up comedy, recreations of their better-known skits
and question-and-answer sessions with the audience.
His movie work included "The World's Greatest Athlete" in 1973, "The
Apple Dumpling Gang" in 1975, "The Shaggy D.A." in 1976, "The Prize
Fighter" in 1979 and "Private Eyes" in 1980.
Conway also starred in the "Dorf" series of short videos as a
sawed-off golf instructor, borrowing the accent his Mr. Tudball
character used. He said Dorf was one of his favorite characters.
Conway, who was born on Dec. 15, 1933, grew up near Cleveland and
after serving in the Army worked in Cleveland radio and developed
comedy routines. Actress Rose Marie, a co-star on "The Dick Van Dyke
Show," liked his work and helped him get a regular spot on "The
Steve Allen Show" in the early 1960s.
(Writing by Bill Trott; Additional reporting by Jill Serjeant;
Editing by Diane Craft)
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