Bob Einstein, who had a recurring guest starring role on HBO‘s Curb Your Enthusiasm, has died this past Wednesday at his home in Indian Wells, Calif. He was 76. His manager, Lee Kernis, confirmed it was due to his ongoing battle with cancer.
Einstein notoriously made audiences laugh as Marty Funkhouser, Larry David’s frenemy on the long-running fictionalized version of David’s life and as stuntman Super Dave Osborne. Although previously reported, Einstein’s health prevented him from continuing his work on the series’ 10th season, which is currently being produced by HBO.
“Never have I seen an actor enjoy a role the way Bob did playing Marty Funkhouser on ‘Curb,’ ” Larry David said in a statement. He added, “There was no one like him, as he told us again and again.”
Einstein won his first Emmy as part of the writing team for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1969, and his second as a producer of Dick Van Dyke’s show, Van Dyke and Company, in 1977. His infamous stuntman character Super Dave Osborne, appeared several times on numerous shows all the way back since the 1970s.
Einstein’s Curb Your Enthusiasm TV daughter — Mayim Bialik of Big Bang Theory fame– posted a heartfelt tribute to the actor via her Instagram. His younger brother, comedian and writer Albert Brooks, also flocked to social media to express his grievances via Twitter and tweeted Wednesday: “R.I.P. My dear brother Bob Einstein. A great brother, father and husband. A brilliantly funny man. You will be missed forever.”
CNN initially reported this story.