He came from St. Paul and he was a standup comedian, actor and game show host.
On Friday, January 21, Louie Anderson passed away at the age of 68.
Anderson got his start on the local comedy scene that featured comedians Scott Hansen, Jeff Gerbino and Tom Arnold. He made his national debut in 1984 on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Carson was so impressed with Anderson that he invited to come to the couch for an interview.
Since this is also a game show blog, it should be worth mentioning that Anderson was the first host of the long running syndicated revival of Family Feud when the classic game returned to TV in 1999. He was the host for three seasons before he was fired in 2002 due to low ratings.
A memorable moment from Anderson's Family Feud run was a 9/11 themed tournament between members on the FDNY and the NYPD. The tournament earned $75,000 for both organizations.
Anderson would also make guest appearances on other game shows. In 2000, he was a guest panelist on To Tell the Truth which was hosted by another Family Feud host John O'Hurley. The following year, he made an appearance on NBC's The Weakest Link, and he wasn't a weak link at all since he won $31,000 for his charity.
In 2017, Anderson would return to Family Feud, this time to the prime time celebrity edition hosted by the man who replaced him after Richard Karn and O'Hurley, Steve Harvey. He would later be a regualr panelist on another syndicated game show Funny You Should Ask.
A great way to close this game show tribute to Anderson would be his signoff he used after each show he hosted "Be good to your family." May he rest in peace.
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