Garry Shandling, Comic, 'Larry Sanders Show' Creator, Dies At 66
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Garry Shandling, who as an actor and comedian pioneered a pretend brand of self-focused docudrama with "The Larry Sanders Show," has died.
Los Angeles Police officer Tony Im said Shandling died Thursday in Los Angeles of an undisclosed cause. He was 66.
Im said officers were dispatched to Shandling's home Thursday for a reported medical emergency. Shandling was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Im did not have any details on when the call was placed or what the nature of the emergency was. He said police will conduct a death investigation.
Coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said his office did not yet have any details about Shandling's death.
The Chicago-born Shandling moved from a short stint in the advertising business to comedy writing and standup.
Then in the 1980s he began to experiment with TV comedy with his first series, "It's Garry Shandling's Show," a Showtime sitcom that called attention to its artificial nature with the actors routinely breaking the fourth wall.
In 1992, he created his comic masterpiece with "The Larry Sanders Show," which starred him as an egomaniacal late-night TV host with an anxiety-ridden show-biz life behind the scenes.
Tributes to Shandling are pouring in:
Garry Shandling was as kind and generous as he was funny and that is saying a lot.
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) March 24, 2016
Dammit. He was the best. So sad. RIP Garry Shandling
— marc maron (@marcmaron) March 24, 2016
RIP the great Garry Shandling. Surely, one of the most influential comedians of a generation.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 24, 2016
Not Garry Shandling!!!!!! A treasure!!!!!! How sad.
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) March 24, 2016
Nooooo!!! I love Garry Shandling. So sad!! #pioneer
— josh groban (@joshgroban) March 24, 2016
R.I.P. Garry Shandling. I am so saddened to hear this. Brilliantly funny and such a great guy. He will be so missed.
— Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) March 24, 2016
Garry Shandling, you came to an early promotional screening of CYRUS and hung w/me & @jayduplass afterwards at PF Changs. Thank you.
— Mark Duplass (@MarkDuplass) March 24, 2016
Had the pleasure of meeting/ hanging with Garry Shandling a few times & he was a gentleman & obviously so deeply funny. RIP.
— Mandy Moore (@TheMandyMoore) March 24, 2016
Heartbreaking news about Garry Shandling. Just heartbreaking.
— Seth Meyers (@sethmeyers) March 24, 2016
Sunday, my longtime friend Garry Shandling was here, making every1 laugh. I loved him. I'll miss our talks the most. pic.twitter.com/Ud8AQXNBXN
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 24, 2016
The great Garry Shandling's work is such a touchstone for me that I was actually discussing him moments before I heard the sad news. RIP
— Stephen Merchant (@StephenMerchant) March 24, 2016