Remembering Jonathan Winters (1925–2013)

The late comedian had a gift for slipping into different characters

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Jonathan Winters, known to some as the king of ad-lib comedy, died April 11, 2013, at the age of 87. Famous for his improvisational offbeat humor and quick wit, he inspired a generation of younger comedians, most notably Robin Williams.

Though he appeared in several movies, including 1963’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World, it was on TV that Winters made his greatest impact. He starred in countless variety shows, was a favorite guest on The Tonight Show, and had a regular role, playing Robin Williams’ son, on Mork & Mindy.

Winters died of natural causes at his home in Montecito, California.

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