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Gilbert Gottfried was honored by Broadway’s “Aladdin” cast at the close of Tuesday night’s show.
The tribute to the comedian came hours after Gottfried’s family announced his passing on social media.
“Tonight, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate the life of a comedy legend,” Don Darryl Rivera, who plays Iago in the musical, told the crowd at the curtain call.
“A funny man with an indelible voice. The man who breathed life into Iago for the animated film, Mr Gilbert Gottfried.”
Gilbert Gottfried at the premiere of “Aladdin” in 1992.
“I along with five other actors worldwide have the distinct privilege to bring Iago to life on stage and I think one of the main reasons this character is who he is, is because of what Gilbert brought to the animated film: his comedy and that voice.”
Gottfried voiced Iago in the original animated “Aladdin,” released in 1992.
Rivera reflected on meeting Gottfried after one of the Broadway shows.
“The curtain had just come down, and up comes Gilbert from the wings, and he put his arm around me, and we snapped a few photos,” Rivera recalled. “But then, I pulled out this, the ‘Aladdin’ VHS, and his eyes lit up like it was the magic lantern itself. He signed it for me, and it’s still one of my most treasured possessions.”
Gottfried was honored by the Broadway cast of “Aladdin” after Tuesday night’s show.
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The esteemed performer died just after 2:30 pm ET on Tuesday from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, his longtime friend and publicist Glenn Schwartz told Fox News Digital.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children,” the actor and comedian’s verified Twitter account shared on Tuesday in a statement.
“Although today is a sad day for us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor. Love the Gottfried family,” the statement concluded.
Gottfried passed away on April 12 from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II.
(Mike Pont/WireImage via Getty Images)
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Gottfried’s work in television soon led to roles in film. Most notable was his scene as business manager Sidney Bernstein in the hit sequel “Beverly Hills Cop II,” for which Gottfried was lauded for stealing the picture “with a single scene.”
Gottfried also did frequent voice work for children’s television and movies, most famously playing the parrot Iago in Disney’s “Aladdin.”
Fox News’ Julius Young contributed to this report.
