Bob Elliott, of Bob and Ray, at 92
PORTLAND, Maine — Bob Elliott, half of the enduring television and radio comedy team Bob and Ray, has died, He was 92.
Elliott, father of actor-comedian Chris Elliott, died Tuesday at his home in Cundy’s Harbor, Maine.
The cause of death wasn’t made public.
For nearly 45 years, until the death of Elliott’s comedy partner Ray Goulding, Bob and Ray entertained millions of radio listeners and television viewers.
“He was the kindest, most gentle man I knew, and obviously the funniest. He was a true renaissance man,” Chris Elliott (“Groundhog Day,” David Letterman’s “Late Show” and “Late Night”) said in a statement on behalf of the family.
“I would be happy if I could be just half the man he was,” he said. “And since I’m speaking for my siblings, I know my brother — and all my sisters for that matter — would be happy if they could be half the man hewas too.”
Chris Elliott’s daughters are Abby Elliott, who was a “Saturday Night Live” cast member for four seasons, and actress Bridey Elliott.
“RIP Bob Elliott, the great & funny man who begat Chris Elliott, who begat (at) elliott do tabby & (at) brideylee,” Jimmy Kimmel posted on his Twitter account.
Judd Apatow tweeted, “Go listen to Bob and Ray! They are the funniest. Timeless, brilliant comedy.”
Bob and Ray practiced a gentle, quirky brand of comedy that relied not on oneliners or boffo jokes but rather a deadpan delivery that relentlessly skewered pomposity and seriousness.
“I guess it’s the hilarity of pomposity; that hasn’t gone out of fashion,” Elliott said when asked to explain the enduring nature of their humor.
Goulding added: “We magnify the insignificant. You know, flourishes and bands accompanying the opening of a sandwich.”
The team won a prestigious Peabody Award in 1956. “They deal primarily in satire, that rare and precious commodity,” the judges wrote. “Their aim is deadly, their level is high, and their material is fresh, original, imaginative, and terribly funny.”
After Goulding’s death in 1990, Elliott remained active as a solo performer, appearing regularly throughout the ’90s on television and occasionally in films. He played Bob Newhart’s father on the series “Newhart” and his own son Chris’ father on “Get a Life.” He also appeared in the films “Quick Change” and “Cabin Boy.”
He had also worked solo occasionally during the team’s long run, appearing in the film “Author Author” and in a few TV movies.
He and his late partner were inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1995.
Bob and Ray’s long partnership began at Boston radio station WHDH in 1946 when Goulding, after delivering the news on Elliott’s music program, began to stick around and swap anecdotes with the host.
The pair made their own move to television in 1951 with the “Bob and Ray” show. They did not attract a mass audience. But their low-key humor was cherished by a devoted following.
Born in Boston, Elliott had attended the Feagan School of Drama and Radio.