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SYFY WIRE obituary

Rip Taylor, known as the King of Confetti, dead at 84

By Christian Long
Rip Taylor Stormtrooper

Comedian and actor Rip Taylor, known as the King of Confetti, has passed away at the age of 84. 

News of Taylor's death was announced by his publicist, Harlan Boll, who said he died Sunday in Beverly Hills, Calif., per The Hollywood Reporter. Born Charles Elmer Taylor Jr. on Jan. 13, 1935, and spent his early years working as a congressional page. After enlisting in the Army, he would entertain the troops throughout the Korean War, and began to focus on entertainment after returning to civilian life.

He made his mark with his flamboyant, over-the-top delivery, often tossing a handful of confetti into the air, earning him his nickname. Thanks to his quick wit and memorable persona, he became a staple in ensemble game shows of the '70s and '80s like Match Game and The Hollywood Squares.

Aside from his career as a shtick-happy comic, he had a number of noteworthy genre roles, particularly in animation, where his unique vocal delivery got to breathe real life into his cartoon counterparts. His first major role animated role was in 1979's Scooby Goes to Hollywood in 1979. Years later, he'd appear in two more Scooby-Doo projects, What's New, Scooby-Doo in 2002 and Scooby-Doo and the Monster of Mexico in 2003. He also voiced the genie in 1990's DuckTales the Movie.

Additionally, he had roles in Popeye and Son, The Snorks, and The Jetsons. Later, he had a recurring role as Uncle Fester in the early 1990s animated series The Addams Family. More recently, he was the voice of the Royal Recordkeeper in the Disney short film series The Emperor's New School, and he played another genie in the superhero family series The Aquabats! Super Show! His last role was in the 2012 horror flick Silent But Deadly.

Taylor is survived by his longtime partner, Robert Fortney.