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Legendary comedian, writer and Broadway actor Dick Capri has died at the age of 93, his son, Jeff, confirmed to TMZ on Thursday (December 26).
Capri was previously diagnosed with a bleeding enlarged aorta, however, doctors were unable to operate on him due to his advanced age. The entertainer reportedly continued living his live despite the diagnosis, having celebrated Christmas with his family and having a meal at his favorite restaurant in Florida before dying in his sleep, according to his son.
“The world is not as funny today as it was yesterday," Jeff said of his father's passing via TMZ.
Capri's legendary career included working alongside the likes of Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli and Tom Jones. The Pennsylvania native was introduced to comedy while working at his father's grocery store, performing mimes for customers before later got his big break touring with singer Engelbert Humperdinck as the comedy attraction in 1973.
Capri "used his Italian heritage and his unique delivery to mix comedy and mime – setting him distinctly apart from the traditional stand-up comic," according to the biography on his official website.
“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,” the description added.
Capri performed for Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, as well as several iconic venues including Radio City Music Hall and Minskoff Theatre in New York City and the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas before later making his Broadway debut in Catskills on Broadway during a 14-month run in 1991. The comedian was also featured in several films including They Still Call Me Bruce (1987), Bittersweet Place (2005) and One Angry Man (2010).