Posted on 03/21/2007 4:29:16 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Letterman Regular Larry 'Bud' Melman Dies By LARRY MCSHANE, AP
NEW YORK (March 21) - The balding, bespectacled nebbish who gained cult status as the oddball Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman's late night television shows has died after a long illness. The Brooklyn-born Calvert DeForest, who was 85, died Monday at a hospital on Long Island, the Letterman show announced Wednesday.
He made dozens of appearances on Letterman's shows from 1982 through 2002, handling a variety of twisted duties: dueting with Sonny Bono on "I Got You, Babe," doing a Mary Tyler Moore impression during a visit to Minneapolis, handing out hot towels to arrivals at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
"Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself - a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said in a statement. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."
The gnomish DeForest was the first face to greet viewers when Letterman's NBC show debuted on Feb. 1, 1982, offering a parody of the prologue to the Boris Karloff film "Frankenstein."
"It was the greatest thing that had happened in my life," he once said of his first Letterman appearance.
DeForest, given the nom de tube of Melman, became a program regular. The collaboration continued when the talk show host launched "Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS in 1994.
Cue cards were often DeForest's television kryptonite, and his character inevitably appeared in an ill-fitting black suit behind thick black-rimmed glasses.
The Melman character opened Letterman's first CBS show, too - but used his real name because of a dispute with NBC over "intellectual property." DeForest, positioned inside the network's familiar eye logo, announced, "This is CBS!"
DeForest often draw laughs by his bizarre juxtaposition as a "Late Show" correspondent at events such as the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway or the anniversary Woodstock concert that year.
His last appearance on "Late Show" came in 2002, celebrating his 81st birthday.
DeForest also appeared in an assortment of other television shows and films, including "Nothing Lasts Forever" with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd .
As per his request, there will be no funeral service for DeForest, who left no survivors. Donations can be made in his name to the Actors' Fund of America.
RIP, Calvert DeForest. Brought a lot of smiles to a lot of people.
R.I.P.
What a funny guy.
That is so cool! I was wondering if there was a family connection. Lee DeForest's invention of the triode is important because the triode was the first type of tube that could actually amplify a signal. That changed radio from being a gadget of limited usefulness to being something practical.
I'm not sure if this is relevant, but Mr. DeForest, though credited with the invention of the vacuum tube, had no idea what to do with it. Apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, eh?
RIP "Bud"
My thoughts exactly. I must have a "toast on a stick" in his honor.
20 years ago for me, too.
One of those people that you just look at and can't help but laugh.
I remember Toast on a Stick! LOL funny. Then there was the time he stood outside the Soviet embassy with a sign saying "C'mon and defect!" Priceless TV moments from a time when the Letterman show pretty much shunned politics and was cutting edge, truly off beat and funny TV. That ended around 1995 when I stopped watching the show. I still miss the old Dave.
If the old Soviet Union still existed I suppose Letterman wouldn't do this kind of skit now since it might offend his commie friends like Sen Clinton.
< pedant=on>
He didn't have no idea what to do with it, he just didn't appreciate the range of applications that it as suited to. That was left to pioneers like Pierce, Colpitts, and the immortal Armstrong.
He also didn't exactly understand how it worked; he thought that residual gases were necessary, probably a prejudice from the electrolytic arts. It took Langmuir and others to recognize that high vacuum was essential to the main types of vacuum tube.
< /pedant>
I remember back in the 80's when Letterman was actually funny (and Mellman was on the show) there was a bar in Columbus, Ohio. It was an old fashioned watering hole. No tv's no radios just people drinking. And the name of the bar was Mellman's. They had nothing to do with Larry Mellman but I think he did make an appearance there once. He seemed like a great guy. May he rest in peace.
That reminds me of the days when the Lettermen show was one of the best things on TV.
Thanks so much for that YouTube link in #13... priceless! Those were the days... back when Letterman's show was actually funny.
RIP
Last time I watched it he had these women parade out in tutus with steel belts on which they buzzed metal grinders that threw off a lot of sparks. It was supposed to be funny. That was about 4 years ago.
Gone to join Brother Theodore.
Beau-T...is my bidness.
I been hypnotized!
And the velcro suit.
Grinder Girls!
Would you know why it's impossible to see youtube anymore...I haven't been able to see anything on that site for months. I repeatedly have downloaded the flash player and get nothing. I'd really appreciate it if you or anyone might have any ideas on what I can do to make youtube work for me!
Thanks!
This guy was a hoot. RIP, Bud.
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