ction Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/21/o...n.ap/index.html NEW YORK (AP) -- The balding, bespectacled nebbish who gained cult status as the oddball Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman's late-night television shows has died after a long illness. Brooklyn-born Calvert DeForest, who was 85, died Monday at a hospital on Long Island, the Letterman show announced Wednesday. He made dozens of appearances on Letterman's shows from 1982 through 2002, handling a variety of twisted duties: singing a duet with Sonny Bono on "I Got You, Babe"; doing a Mary Tyler Moore impression during a visit to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where her 1970s show was set; handing out hot towels to arrivals at New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal. Cue cards were often DeForest's television kryptonite, and his character invariably appeared in an ill-fitting black suit behind thick, black-rimmed glasses. "Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself -- a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said in a statement. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him." DeForest's gnomish face was the first to greet viewers when Letterman's NBC show debuted on Feb. 1, 1982, offering a parody of the prologue to the Boris Karloff film "Frankenstein." "It was the greatest thing that had happened in my life," he once said of his first Letterman appearance. DeForest, given the nom de tube of Larry "Bud" Melman, became a program regular. The collaboration continued when the talk show host moved to CBS to launch "Late Show with David Letterman" in 1994. The Melman character opened Letterman's first CBS show, too -- but used his real name because of a dispute with NBC over "intellectual property." DeForest, positioned inside the network's familiar eye logo, announced, "This is CBS!" DeForest often drew laughs by his bizarre juxtaposition as a "Late Show" correspondent at events such as the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway and the Woodstock anniversary concert that year. His last appearance on "Late Show" came in 2002, celebrating his 81st birthday. DeForest also appeared in an assortment of other television shows and films, including "Nothing Lasts Forever" with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. There will be no funeral service for DeForest, who left no survivors. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 he made Letterman funnyRIP Bud Quote Link to post Share on other sites
embiggen Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 very sad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheelco Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 so Dave won't give him a freaking funeral?! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
embiggen Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 yeah, I don't get that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakobnicholas Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Larry Bud was one of the many things that made the Letterman show feel so fresh and unique and cutting edge. He, along with Chris Elliot, will always be associated with Letterman's superb and hysterical NBC shows. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 so Dave won't give him a freaking funeral?!Perhaps that was his wish. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Larry Bud was one of the many things that made the Letterman show feel so fresh and unique and cutting edge. He, along with Chris Elliot, will always be associated with Letterman's superb and hysterical NBC shows.Indeed. RIP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MrRain422 Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I read another AP article that said that he requested that there be no memorial service. Otherwise, this would be fucked up. Bud Melman deserves a damn funeral. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 This is sad news. It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since I first saw Larry Bud. There were times he had me (and Dave) laughing so hard I thought I'd bust a vessel or something. Cheers Calvin, we'll miss ya. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ7PMG8c2gI Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Cheers Calvin, we'll miss ya. *cough* Calvert *cough* Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 *cough* Calvert *cough* My bad. Hey, it's early...the caffiene hasn't hit me yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JUDE Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Perhaps that was his wish. Right, where do you come up with this stuff? It's painfully obvious to anyone with half a brain that David Letterman has been corrupted by his success and this is just a manifestation of his self-centered nature. Get a life. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 [quote name='JUDE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ction Posted March 22, 2007 Author Share Posted March 22, 2007 [quote name='JUDE Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheelco Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Perhaps that was his wish.go crawl back in your intestinal casings Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Edie Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 His "toast on a stick" bit was so funny I almost stopped breathing as I was laughing so hard. I still remember it 20+ years later. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Larry Bud was one of the many things that made the Letterman show feel so fresh and unique and cutting edge. He, along with Chris Elliot, will always be associated with Letterman's superb and hysterical NBC shows. You hit the nail on the head. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EL the Famous Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 R.I.P. L.B.M. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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