Comedian Actor Charlie Callas Died At 86

Charlie Callas, a rubber-faced comedian Mel Brooks and have worked regularly on television, in films and on stage for five decades, died Thursday at a hospice in Las Vegas. He was 86.

Callas was a regular on television variety shows in the 1960's, toured with Frank Sinatra and Tom Jones and was a favorite on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ", making over 50 appearances.

Born in Brooklyn, the thin reed Callas had bit roles in films Brooks "Silent Movie" (1976), "High Anxiety" (1977, as a cocker spaniel), "History of the World: Part I" (1981) and "Dracula one dead and one act of love "(1995).

He landed a role opposite Jerry Lewis in "The Big Mouth" (1967) after meeting with the comedian in a show and was the voice of Elliot in the Disney film "Pete's Dragon" (1977)

Callas was also known for his role as restaurant owner and a master of disguise in "Switch", a 1975-1978 CBS series starring Robert Wagner and Eddie Albert.

Credits include TV shows like "The Munsters", "The Monkees", "Love, American Style; Cagey & Lacey", "The Dom DeLuise Show" and two "special Larry the Cable Guy. "

Posted in: