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Tim Conway, who made generations of Americans laugh on TV shows such as "McHale's Navy" and "The Carol Burnett Show," died Tuesday morning, his publicist said.
He was 85.
Conway won multiple Emmy Awards, most recently in 2008 for his role as a guest star in the comedy show "30 Rock" where he played Bucky Bright, an old, long-forgotten TV star.
The actor's big break in Hollywood came on "McHale's Navy," when Conway was cast to play Ensign Charles Parker. He was nominated for a best supporting actor Emmy in 1963.
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But he'll probably be best known for his work on "Carol Burnett," the iconic 1970s sketch comedy show that included the likes of Burnett, Conway, Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner and Vicki Lawrence.
Conway won Emmys for best supporting performer in 1973, 1977 and 1978 from his "Burnett" work.
He stole many a scene on "Burnett," with cameras often catching Burnett and Korman struggling — and usually failing — to keep straight faces after something Conway had said or done something hilarious.
"I’m heartbroken," Burnett said in a statement Tuesday, shortly after Conway's passing.
"He was one in a million, not only as a brilliant comedian but as a loving human being. I cherish the times we had together both on the screen and off. He’ll be in my heart forever.”
The Ohio native Conway said his Midwestern roots played well on "Burnett" and its more gentle, non-offensive comedy takes.
“I think the Midwest is the heart of comedy in this country, and a little bit of the South, too,” he told the Wisconsin State Journal in 2005. “For some reason, we’re just more laid-back, more understanding. ... And Midwesterners have a kinder sense of humor.”
Even after his time on "Burnett," Conway kept working and remained a relevant comedy force. In the 1980s, he produced a series of popular comedy VHS tapes with the character "Dorf," a diminutive persona who hilariously tried to teach viewers how to play golf and baseball.
He made an impact on later generations as the voice of Barnacle Boy on the popular animated series "SpongeBob SquarePants."