Bob Einstein, Super Dave Osborne Actor, Dies at 76

Actor most recently reprised his role as Marty Funkhouser on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”

Bob Einstein Super Dave
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Bob Einstein, the actor best known for his Super Dave Osborne character, has died at the age of 76, TheWrap has learned.

Einstein’s brother, actor and comedian Albert Brooks, also confirmed the news of Einstein’s passing on Twitter on Wednesday. “R.I.P. My dear brother Bob Einstein. A great brother, father and husband. A brilliantly funny man. You will be missed forever,” Brooks wrote.

An L.A.-born actor, writer and comedian, Einstein made first made his name as a writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” alongside the likes of Steve Martin and Murray Roman before transitioning to performing as the bungling Super Dave Osborne character in the 1970s.

Einstein first debuted the character, a sunny, naive and frequently-injured parody of daredevil stuntmen like Evel Knievel, on John Byner’s variety show in 1972 and later recurred on the Canadian sketch comedy series “Bizarre.”

He would go on to play the role on “Late Night With David Letterman” and star in his own Showtime series “Super Dave” in 1987.

Einstein’s other roles included the surrogate character Larry Middleman on Fox’s “Arrested Development” and the father of Matt Damon’s character in “Ocean’s Thirteen.” He most recently reprised the character Marty Funkhouser in HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm” revival last year, returning to a character he’s played since season 4 of the show.

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