Former actor also directed Chase in 1981 comedy «Modern Problems»
Ken Shapiro, writer and director of Chevy Chase’s debut film “The Groove Tube,” died of cancer at age 76, TheWrap has learned.
Released in 1974, “The Groove Tube” was a cult hit indie comedy that satirized TV with a series of lewd skits and parodies of commercials. Among them was the skit “Koko The Clown,” a parody of “Bozo The Clown” in which Shapiro, in full clown attire, reads erotica during the show’s “Make-Believe Time.” The film launched the careers of Chase and Richard Belzer, the latter of whom appeared alongside Shapiro in another famous skit from the film called “The Dealers,” about a pair of sleazy pot dealers who are introduced with a send-up of 70s TV show intros.
Also Read: Rance Howard, Ron Howard’s Father, Dies at 89
Born in Newark, NJ, Shapiro got his start in showbiz at a young age as a part of Milton Berle’s “Texaco Star Theater.” Later, in 1967, Shapiro laid the groundwork for “The Groove Tube” with an off-Broadway comedy show called “Channel One,” which he created with Chase that became the basis for the film’s news broadcast skit, “Channel One Evening News.” That skit, in turn, inspired the long-running “Saturday Night Live” segment “Weekend Update.” The “Weekend Update” sign-off catchphrase, “Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow,” came from the film and was adopted by Chase.
After Chase found mainstream success with “SNL,” he reunited with Shapiro to make the 1981 comedy “Modern Problems,” in which Chase plays a down-on-his-luck air traffic controller who gets telekinetic powers from a nuclear waste spill and uses it to strike back at those who wronged him.
Shapiro died at his home in Las Cruces, NM, and is survived by his wife, Kelly, as well as two daughters, a stepdaughter, and four grandchildren.
Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2017 (Photos)
A look back at some of the notable people we’ve lost this year. Getty Images
Tony Rosato
The actor, who appeared on «SCTV» and later joined the cast of «Saturday Night Live» in 1981, died of a heart attack on Jan. 10 at the age of 62.
William Peter Blatty
The author of the famed horror novel «The Exorcist,» died from cancer on Jan. 12 at the age of 89.
Dick Gautier
The actor who starred in the original Broadway production of «Bye Bye Birdie» and played the role of Hymie the Robot on «Get Smart» died on Jan. 13 at the age of 85. Wikipedia
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka
The WWE legend died from stomach cancer on Jan. 15 at the age of 73. He was inducted into the WWF (now WWE) Hall of Fame in 1996 and was also the first WrestleMania opponent of The Undertaker. Getty Images
Miguel Ferrer
The «NCIS: Los Angeles» star who played the role of Owen Granger died Jan. 19 from cancer at the age of 61.
Lee O’Denat aka «Q»
The founder and CEO of music and culture website WorldStarHipHop, Lee O’Denat, died on Jan. 23 in his sleep at the age of 43, according to TMZ. Getty Images
Mary Tyler Moore
The legendary six-time Emmy-winning star of the «Mary Tyler Moore Show» and «The Dick Van Dyke Show» died on Jan. 25 at the age of 80.
Mike Connors
The American actor, best known for playing a private eye on the long-running CBS action series «Mannix» (1967-75), died on January 26 at age 91. Getty Images
Barbara Hale
The actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on the long-running legal drama “Perry Mason,” died Jan. 27 at the age of 94.
According to the Washington Post, Hale died of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
John Hurt
The Oscar-nominated British actor whose career spanned six decades and starred in “The Elephant Man,” «Alien» and three «Harry Potter» movies died at the age of 77 on January 27. Hurt had been battling pancreatic cancer since 2015. Getty Images
Richard Hatch
Best known for playing Captain Apollo on the 1970s sci-fi television series “Battlestar Galactica,” Hatch died at the age of 71 following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer on Feb. 7.
Brenda Buttner
The senior business correspondent and host of “Bulls and Bears” for the Fox News Channel, Brenda Buttner died on Feb. 20 after a battle with cancer at the age of 55.
Neil Fingleton
The 7-foot, 7-inch Fingleton died Feb. 25 at age 36. He was best known for his role as the giant called Mag the Mighty on «Game of Thrones» and was Europe’s tallest man.
Bill Paxton
The star of «Aliens» and «Titanic» died Feb. 26 due to complications from surgery. He was 61 years old.
Robert Osborne
Film historian and longtime host on Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osborne died Mar. 6 at the age of 84.
Joni Sledge
A member of the 1970’s musical group, Sister Sledge, known for their single “We Are Family,» Sledge died Mar. 10 at 60-years-old. Getty Images
Auntie Fee
Felicia O’Dell, better known as Chef Sista Girl or Auntie Fee, was a viral YouTube sensation known for her «good ass chicken» died Mar. 17 after suffering a heart attack. She was 59-years-old. YouTube
Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry, singer and songwriter of rock and roll classics such as “Maybellene,” “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Johnny B. Goode” died Mar. 18 at the age of 90.
Bernie Wrightson
The famed comic book artist known for co-creating the DC comic book monster Swamp Thing died Mar. 19 after a long battle with brain cancer at 68-years-old.
Jimmy Breslin
The Pulitzer-winning reporter and columnist whose life was as outsized as the New York City characters he depicted and exposed in print, died Mar. 19 at the age of 88.
He was known for reporting on letters he received from “Son of Sam” serial killer, David Berkowitz in 1977 and exposed one of the city’s worst corruption scandals in the ’80s.
Darlene Cates
The «What’s Eating Gilbert Grape» mom died Mar. 26 peacefully in her sleep at the age of 69.
Don Rickles
Legendary stand-up comedian and actor best known as an insult comic, Rickles died Apr. 7 at the age of 90.
Charlie Murphy
The actor and comedian — the older brother of Eddie Murphy who was best known for his incredibly memorable stints on «Chappelle’s Show» — died April 12 from complications from leukemia.
Erin Moran
Best known for playing Ron Howard’s kid sister in the classic 1970s sitcom “Happy Days,” Moran died Apr. 22 at the age of 56.
Jonathan Demme
The Oscar winning director of «The Silence of the Lambs» died Apr. 26 from esophageal cancer at the age of 73.
Michael Mantenuto
One of the stars of Disney’s 2004 film “Miracle,” Mantenuto died at the age of 35 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Apr. 24.
Powers Boothe
The Emmy-winning character actor, who had memorable stints on «Deadwood,» «24,» and «Nashville,» died in his sleep of natural causes at age 68 on May 14.
Brad Grey
The longtime producer, who also served as chairman and CEO of Paramount for 12 years, died May 14 of cancer at age 59.
Roger Ailes
The former Fox News Chief, who resigned from the company in July after former anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit that resulted in multiple women coming forward with similar claims died on May 18 at the age of 77.
According to a family friend who spoke with CNN, Ailes fell at his home in Palm Beach, Florida last week, suffered complications, and slipped into a coma.
Gregg Allman The organist and singer for The Allman Brothers, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Gregg Allman died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Savannah, Georgia, at the age of 69, according to his official website. Allman helped create the Southern Rock genre, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Lisa Spoonauer
Best known as Caitlin Bree in the 1994 film “Clerks,” Spoonauer died at the age of 44. The film’s director, Kevin Smith, reported the news on June 6.
Adam West
The titular star of TV’s “Batman” from 1966-1968 died after battling leukemia at the age of 88 on June 9.
Martin Landau
The star of “Ed Wood,” “North by Northwest” and the ’60s TV series “Mission: Impossible” died July 15 at the age of 89 after experiencing unexpected complications during a short hospitalization.
George Romero
The famed horror director who invented the modern zombie movie with 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead,” died July 16 at age 77 after a short battle with lung cancer.
Sam Shepard
The author, playwright and actor, died on July 27 from complications of ALS. He was 73 years old.
Robert Hardy
The actor, best known for playing Cornelius Fudge in the “Harry Potter” film franchise, died Aug. 3 at the age of 91.
Barbara Cook
A Broadway star and a beloved cabaret and concert performer, died at the age of 89 from respiratory failure on Aug. 8
Joseph Bologna
The actor, director, playwright, and Oscar-nominated screenwriter died Aug. 13 at the age of 82 after losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.
Dick Gregory
The famed comedian and civil rights activist died Aug. 19 at the age of 84 from heart failure.
Jerry Lewis
One of Hollywood’s most famous comedians known for being one-half of a legendary comedy duo with Dean Martin, died Aug. 20 at the age of 91.
Thomas Meehan
The Tony Award-winning writer of “Annie,” “Hairspray” and “The Producers,” has died at the age of 88 on Aug. 22
Jay Thomas
Known for roles on “Cheers” and “Murphy Brown,” Thomas died Aug. 24 at age 69 after a long battle with cancer.
Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper, the director of horror classics such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Poltergeist,” died on Aug. 26 at age 74.
Bernard Pomerance
Bernard Pomerance, the American playwright and poet who wrote the Tony-winning 1977 play “The Elephant Man,” died Aug. 26 at the age of 74 from complications from cancer at his home in Galisteo, New Mexico.
Coach Rollie Massimino
Longtime Villanova basketball coach Rollie Massimino died Aug. 30 at the age of 82 after battling lung cancer.
Richard Anderson
Richard Anderson, an actor known for “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Bionic Woman,” died Aug. 31 at age 91.
Shelley Berman
Stand-up comedian and actor Shelley Berman, known for playing Larry David’s dad on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” died Sep. 1 due to complications from Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of 92.
