Comedic Legend Sid Caesar Dies at 91

He starred in "Your Show of Shows" and played Coach Calhoun in "Grease."

ByABC News
February 12, 2014, 3:36 PM
Sid Caesar attends a surprise 70th birthday party for television talk show host Larry King at the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills, Calif., Nov. 19, 2003.
Sid Caesar attends a surprise 70th birthday party for television talk show host Larry King at the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills, Calif., Nov. 19, 2003.
Vince Bucci/Getty Images

Feb. 12, 2014 — -- Isaac Sidney "Sid" Caesar, an influential comedian and actor, has died. He was 91.

His close friend and collaborator, Carl Reiner, confirmed the news to ABC News and said he found out about his passing early this morning.

Larry King also tweeted earlier today, "Sorry to learn about the passing of Sid Caesar-a dear friend, a comic genius & an American classic- there will never be another one like him."

Caesar was best known for his zany comedy on shows like "Your Show of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour," as well as playing Coach Calhoun in "Grease" and "Grease 2." He was nominated for numerous Emmy Awards and won twice.

Reiner worked with Caesar on "Your Show of Shows," and told ABC without question, "No one could do what Sid did."

"He was the master of double talk," Reiner added. "Pantomime, sketch comedy, whatever, he could do it all."

He added that there will never be another Sid Caesar, who actually never went to acting class, and that he would stand only a few feet away from him, watching Sid perform and ask himself, "How does he do that?"

"I'll miss going to lunch, reminiscing, those things," he added.

Caesar also sang with the musical trio "The Hair Cuts," which included Reiner and Howard Morris and was nominated for Broadway's 1963 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Little Me."

"The King" as Caesar's friends and fellow comedians called him, leaves behind a generation of comics and actors he influenced, including Billy Crystal and Richard Lewis. Woody Allen also got one of his first big breaks writing for his specials in the 1950's.

The Yonkers native was married to Florence Levy for almost 60 years until her death in 2010. They had three children.