Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried dead at 67, family confirms

Gilbert Gottfried, the actor and legendary standup comic known for his raw, scorched voice and crude jokes, has died. He was 67.

Gottfried died from a rare genetic muscle disease that can trigger a dangerously abnormal heartbeat, his publicist and longtime friend, Glenn Schwartz, said in a statement.

Gottfried's family confirmed his death "after a long illness" in a statement shared on social media.

"In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert's honour."

Gottfried is survived by his wife, Dara, sister, Karen, 14-year-old daughter, Lily, and 12-year-old son, Max.

He last performed in Canada two weeks prior to the news of his death, with three shows in Toronto on March 26 and 27.

He was a fiercely independent and intentionally bizarre comedian's comedian, as likely to clear a room with anti-comedy as he was to kill with his jokes.

Gottfried first came to national attention with frequent appearances on MTV in its early days and with a brief stint in the cast of Saturday Night Live in the 1980s.

He also did frequent voice work for children's television and movies, most famously playing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin.

He was particularly fond of doing obscure and dated impressions for as long as he could milk them, including Groucho Marx, Bela Lugosi and Andrew "Dice" Clay.

In his early days at the club the Comedy Store in Hollywood, the managers would have him do his impression of then-little-known comedian Jerry Seinfeld at the end of the night to get rid of lingering patrons.

Gottfried was especially beloved by his fellow comedians and performers.

Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander tweeted that "Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift."

Others from the entertainment industry also shared tributes, including actor Mark Hamill, who posted on Twitter: "He was a unique voice in comedy on so many levels. Unpredictable, one-of-a-kind, hilarious & irreplaceable! Thank you for the lifetime of laughs, sir."