Foster Brooks

Foster Brooks was an American actor and comedian who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and began his career in radio as a staff announcer at WHAS, where he gained attention for reporting on the Ohio River flood of 1937. He later hosted programs in Rochester and Buffalo before moving to Los Angeles in 1960 to pursue stand-up comedy and character acting. His major break came after Perry Como chose him to open a Las Vegas engagement, and he soon appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Brooks became known for a lovable drunk persona, which he performed on The Dean Martin Show and The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast and used on a comedy album. He earned an Emmy nomination in 1974. His film work included The Villain (1979) and Cannonball Run II (1984), and he also had a recurring part on Mork & Mindy. He died in 2001.