Comedian Sid Caesar Dies at 91

Comedy TV legend Sid Caesar has passed away at the age of 91.

His friend Larry King revealed the news on Twitter Wednesday.

Caesar's 90-minute live variety program Your Show of Shows helped cement the comedian as one of the first real television stars. The sketch series, which co-stared Imogene Coca, featured an impressive roster of writers, including Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Larry Gelbart.

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Four years after its premiere in 1950, Your Show of Shows was transformed into Caesar's Hour and Coco was replaced by Nanette Fabray. Caesar's Showlasted another three years and the comedian earned Emmy nominations for seven consecutive years (he won two).
Caesar won over a new generation of fans later on as Coach Calhoun in theGrease films.

Before entering show business, Caesar attended Juilliard for clarinet and saxophone, and worked for several orchestras. He then enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard where he wrote sketches for the Coast Guard's musical revue.

In 1985, Caesar was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. He received a lifetime achievement award from the Television Critics Association in 2011.

Caesar married the late Florence Levy in 1943 and is survived by two daughters and a son.