It started with a report last night on TMZ, now rocketing across cyberspace; Dom DeLuise, the beefy character actor who lit up everything from Burt Reynolds' Cannonball Run movies to Mel Brooks satires like Robin Hood: Men in Tights has died.

A cookbook author, actor and much more, DeLuise died in his sleep last night after a long illness, according to his son Michael.

He leaves behind a world much less funny, especially for those of us who grew up on his antics with old-school show biz legends such as Reynolds, Brooks, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Carol Burnett and many more.

Along with Bea Arthur, DeLuise's death marks the beginning of another era passing in comedy; a cadre of performers you might see anywhere from feature films to Dean Martin roasts, masking prodigious talents with a clown's instinct for the laugh line.

Here's some clips from some of his coolest performances to remind us all why he was so beloved.
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