Legendary Comedian Found Dead
Legendary comedian Dick Capri was found dead at his residence earlier this week after suffering a fatal health incident. He was 93.
Capri’s death was confirmed by his son Jeff who told TMZ that his father suffered from a bleeding enlarged aorta that doctors concurred was inoperable due to his age. The diagnosis didn’t keep the comedian and former Broadway actor from living life to the fullest in his final weeks, making visits to see his son, daughter-in-law, and enjoying an extended retreat with his life partner during Christmas week. Together, they FaceTimed with other family members who weren’t able to join them in Florida, the outlet added.
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Capri’s son recalled the family getting dinner at the comedian’s favorite restaurant on Christmas Day, and when they awoke the following morning his father was found dead. “The world is not as funny today as it was yesterday,” Jeff Capri said, adding that his father was one of the kindest people in show business.
Born 1931 in Reading, Pennsylvania, Capri learned the value of hard work while bagging groceries and cleaning aisles in his father’s grocery store, according to an official biography on the comedian’s website. Capri began performing stand-up at open mic nights in the 1960s before earning sporadic appearances on “The Merv Griffin Show” and “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and in 1973 left his retail job for good when he landed a spot on Engelbert Humperdinck’s nationwide tour.
His talent for comedic timing put Capri in touch with some of the 20th century’s greatest spoken and musical talents including Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, and Liza Minnelli, and he was afforded opportunities to perform for presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush while in office. His sell-out shows touched every corner of the country and hit high marks at venues like Radio City Music Hall and several major resorts in Las Vegas. Capri’s ability to draw laughs also sent him across the pond for performances at London Palladium in the U.K., according to the Daily Mail. During the Iraq War, he performed for U.S. troops in 2003.
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Beginning in 1991, Capri flexed his talents on the Broadway stage, costarring in the comedy play Catskills on Broadway. TMZ added that the show ran for more than a year in New York before touring nationally. He is also credited with several movie appearances, including “They Still Call Me Bruce” (1987), “Bittersweet Place” (2005), and “One Angry Man” (2010).
In his own words, Capri described his style as one “firmly based in the Borsht Belt,” relying on “his Italian heritage and his unique delivery to mix comedy and mime – setting him distinctly apart from the traditional stand-up comic. His bio goes on, “His unique style features a measured and deliberate delivery and his material is crisp and topical. This mix of comedy sets him distinctly apart from traditional stand-up comedians.”
Alison Kaplan, Capri’s life partner, shared her heartfelt goodbye with his fans on the comedian’s official Facebook page. “I was hoping I could prolong this for a little bit, but unfortunately, once [word] started to get out, other people managed to post in front of the family. Sometime in the middle of the night, December 26 this world became very lonely for me. For the last year, I’ve been dealing with a lot of very personal family issues And two very important … Loves of my life on hospice care. It has been a very traumatic year personally to say the least. Dick Capri, was truly one of the best.”
She added: “For the last 24 years of my life, this very good man loved me and showed me true love, kindness, generosity, and made it very apparent that it was he who he gave me a good sense of humor… I knew for sure about a month ago that we had a short time left together and we did whatever we could to make the time pass with dignity. I will miss you forever. My only regret is we didn’t have more time. I will always love you.”
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