Jack Carter, Emmy-Nominated Comic Actor, Dead at 93

Jack Carter, a veteran comedic performer and director, died Sunday of respiratory failure at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 93.

The Brooklyn native worked in a variety of media over his decades-long career, from radio and Broadway to TV and film.

He got his first break when appearing on Milton Berle’s “Texaco Star Theatre” in the late 1940s, then hosted NBC’s “Cavalcade of Stars” and the eponymous “The Jack Carter Show” for three years.

Carter received an Emmy nomination in 1975 for the daytime movie special “The Girl Who Couldn’t Lose.” Other TV credits included “Dr. Kildare,” “The Rockford Files,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Parks & Recreation,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Monk,” “Family Guy,” “New Girl” and “Shameless.”

He was a frequent guest on “The Ed Sullivan Show” as well as game shows like “Match Game” and “The 10,000 Pyramid.” He also directed episodes of Lucille Ball’s CBS series “Here’s Lucy.”

Carter’s big-screen appearances included roles in “Play It to the Bone,” “Alligator,” “Hustle” with Burt Reynolds and Mel Brooks‘ “History of the World, Part I.”

On Broadway, Carter’s credits included “Call Me Mister” and “Mr. Wonderful.” He also hosted the first televised Tony Awards in 1956.