Jonathan Winters: 1925-2013

Actor, comedian, author and artist Jonathan Winters died last evening at his Montecito, California home of natural causes.

A comedic innovator, Winters' knack for improvisation, outrageous facial expressions, and cast of wacky personalities - including his famous Maude Frickert - inspired the careers of Jim Carrey, Conan O'Brien, Patton Oswalt, George Carlin, Robin Williams and many others.

"One of the few people able to make me laugh from my soul," Williams once said of Winters.

Although his screen credits include It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Moon Over Parador, Davis Rules, and The Flintstones, Winters is best known as Robin Williams' son Mearth on Mork and Mindy, a role that introduced him to an entire new generation of fans.

He was a regular guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, often appearing as one of his many alter-egos, and did voice work on a number of animated series, including The Smurfs, Pound Puppies and Animaniacs.

Winters was presented with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour in 1999.

He was also an accomplished painter and published Hang-Ups: Paintings by Jonathan Winters in 1988.

He was 87 years old.