Gilbert Gottfried was a stand-up comedian, actor, and voice artist from the United States with an estimated net worth of $8 million. He was arguably best recognized for his parts in Disney’s animated blockbuster “Aladdin,” the PBS Kids Go! Show “Cyberchase,” “Problem Child,” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” among other projects. For decades, he was a successful stand-up comedian who gave his famously harsh voice to a variety of video games and advertisements. Gilbert died tragically on April 12, 2022, at the age of 67.
Childhood
Gilbert Jeremy Gottfried was born on February 28, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York. Lillian (née Zimmerman) was a stay-at-home mother, and Max Gottfried co-owned a hardware company with his father. Indeed, the family lived above the hardware business. Gottfried began performing amateur stand-up comedy in New York City when he was 15 years old.
Personal Life
Gottfried met Dara Kravitz at a Grammy Awards after-party in the late 1990s. They married in 2007 and are the parents of two children: Lily, a daughter, and Max, a son. In Manhattan’s Chelsea district, the family resided.
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Career
After performing stand-up in New York City for a period and earning a reputation as “the comedian’s comedian,” he caught the attention of producers of “Saturday Night Live” in 1980 when the show changed with new personnel and performers. He was hired as a member of the season 6 cast.
However, he earned very limited airtime and appeared in only a few sketches over his 12 episodes on the show. He did, however, have a few recurring roles: the character Leo Waxman on the talk show spoofing “What’s It All About?” and celebrity impersonations of David A. Stockman and Roman Polanski.
Unfortunately for Gottfried, his one-season stint on “Saturday Night Live” was a flop. His performances were few and far between, and he and the show agreed to part ways after the year. Gottfried scored a major coup shortly after departing “Saturday Night Live” when the newly founded MTV network engaged him to perform a series of impromptu promos.
The brief advertisements were a big success for the nascent network and helped bring Gottfried to the network’s youthful audience’s attention. His second big break came courtesy of Bill Cosby, who saw the MTV commercials and invited Gottfried to audition for a role on his NBC sitcom, “The Cosby Show.” Gottfried returned to the hit show multiple times over the next few years.
Additionally, Gottfried, who had developed a reputation for shrieking and squinting, appeared on “Late Night With David Letterman,” “Hollywood Squares,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” regularly. He also presented his late-night movie show, “USA Up All Night,” for numerous years. Additionally, he gave the voice for the Aflac duck in various television commercials.
Although he did not stay long on “Saturday Night Live,” he has subsequently established a successful career in the entertainment industry. He has starred in films such as “Bad Medicine” (1985), “Beverly Hills Cop II” (1987), “Never on Tuesday” (1989), “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane” (1990), “Problem Child” (1990), “Problem Child 2” (1991), “Highway to Hell” (1991), “Saved By The Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas” (1994), “Double Dragon” (1994), “Problem Child 3: Junior in Love” (19
He has starred in films such as “The Lindabury Story” (2009), “Beecher Baby Bouncer” (2013), “The Comedian’s Guide to Survival” (2016), “Life, Animated” (2016), and “Gilbert” (2017) as himself (2017). The latter is a biographical documentary about his life and career. He also had his comedy special, “Gilbert Gottfried: Dirty Jokes,” which aired on Comedy Central (2008). Additionally, he has worked as a voice actor on numerous projects and films.
He voiced Iago the Parrot in the 1992 films “Aladdin,” “The Return of Jafar” (1994), “Aladdin and the King of Thieves” (1996), “Mickey’s House of Villains” (2002), and “Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams” (2007); Berkeley Beetle in “Thumbelina” (1994); Compulsive Dog in “Dr. Dolittle” (1998); and Mario Zu (2017). He has also starred alongside Donald Trump on reality television shows such as “Celebrity Wife Swap” and “Celebrity Apprentice.”
Several times throughout his career, the somewhat arrogant Gottfried attracted unfavorable attention, including when he made less-than-humanitarian jokes about the 9/11 attacks on New York City and the Japan earthquake crisis.
Who is the Wife of Gilbert Gottfried?
Gilbert Gottfried’s wife, Dara Kravitz, survives him. So who is Kravitz? Tuko claims to be 52 years old and was born on February 24, 1970. There is little information about her education, however, she probably attended college before pursuing a career as a song producer. Later in her career, she worked for a variety of record labels, including MCA and Geffen.
Kravitz married Gottfried in 2007. According to The New York Times, they first met at a Grammy Awards ceremony at Tavern on the Green. Kravitz recalls accidentally dropping food on the table and Gottfried “picking it up and placing it on his plate.”
“I cast a glimpse his way and wondered, ‘Who is this guy?'” Kravitz elaborated. “He appeared to be miserable, alone, and childlike. “I found him endearing.” For a long time, the duo kept their relationship a secret because neither of them disclosed much personal information about themselves to the public.
Gilbert Gottfried’s Net Worth
Gilbert Gottfried has amassed an outstanding net worth of $8 million through his profession as a stand-up comedian and actor. Although he had a lengthy and varied career, he was most known for his roles in Disney’s “Aladdin,” “Cyberchase,” “Problem Child,” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Years of successful stand-up followed, and he also appeared in several video games and advertising, bringing his shrill voice to each.
Even though it is still in pre-production, Gottfried’s final project was meant to be “Hassle at the Castle,” a comedy featuring members of the previous “SNL” cast, including Jon Lovitz. Additionally, Gottfried’s income stems from his numerous well-received and well famous concerts for fans worldwide throughout the years. He is revered and adored by his colleagues.
Cause of Death
Gilbert Gottfried, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 67, was well-known for his vulgar stand-up performances. He did not attempt to conceal his feelings.
He was well-known for his “stupid and nasty” jokes. According to his family, the comedian had been suffering from a “chronic ailment.”
This occurred in the weeks following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The comedian faced backlash for mocking the terrorist atrocities. He was fired from a high-profile position at Aflac after mocking the 2011 tsunami in Japan, which killed more than 15,000 people.