Calvert DeForest – AKA Larry “Bud” Melman from the David Letterman show – is dead at 85:
The Brooklyn-born DeForest, who was 85, died Monday at a hospital on Long Island, Letterman’s “Late Show” announced Wednesday.
He made dozens of appearances on Letterman’s shows from 1982 through 2002, handling a variety of twisted duties: dueting with Sonny Bono on “I Got You, Babe,” doing a Mary Tyler Moore impression during a visit to Minneapolis, handing out hot towels to arrivals at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
“Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself – a genuine, modest and nice man,” Letterman said in a statement. “To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him.”
Hard to even remember which Melman bit I liked the best…
He said once that the only real sport was men jousting with sharpened snow shovels.
I still wonder who let this guy on the air and thought he was going to funny and that people would actually think he was funny. I would have loved to be in that room the day the producers made the decision to air his bits.
He, and his bits were so genuine. And damn funny.
I tried explaining toast on a stick to my 11 year old sun. I think he gave me a courtesy laugh.
I was wondering why Angryclown quit commenting.
Maybe he ran out of fair-trade greasepaint…