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• Ed McMahon was a comedian, actor and television personality who worked in the entertainment industry for over 50 years. McMahon co-hosted The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson from 1962 to 1992, and was the host of the talent show competition Star Search.

  On June 22, 2009, Ed McMahon died shortly after midnight at the age of 86. McMahon had been hospitalized in February of 2009 with pneumonia.http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/23/obit.mcmahon/index.html

• Fast Facts

  1. Full name: Edward Peter Leo McMahon, Jr.
  2. Birthdate: March 6, 1923
  3. Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
  4. Best known as Johnny Carson's co-host on The Tonight Show
  5. Catchphrase: "Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!"
  6. Had neck surgery in 2005 after suffering a broken neck
  7. 2008: Home faced foreclosure
  8. Served as a fighter pilot for the U.S. Marines in World War II
  9. Was hospitalized and was reportedly in serious condition in February 2009TMZ.com: Ed McMahon in ICU - Extremely Serious (February 27, 2009)

• Health

  On February 27, 2009, it was reported that McMahon had been hospitalized with pneumonia and other "serious" medical problems. McMahon, who is 85 years old, is being treated in the intensive care unit of an undisclosed hospital.TMZ.com: Ed McMahon in ICU - Extremely Serious (February 27, 2009)

• Financial Woes

  In 2008, McMahon felt the crunch of the mortgage crisis. Unable to work, he fell behind in his mortgage payments resulting in McMahon defaulting in the amount of $4.8 million.Los Angeles Times: Mortgage Turmoil Snares Ed Mcmahon (June 4, 2008)

  In September 2008, media sources reported that McMahon was being sued by The Griffin Group Inc., owned by Merv Griffin, over a $100,000 loan the company claimed had gone unpaid.Celebitchy: Merv Griffin’s company suing Ed McMahon (September 30, 2008)

  Fox News reported on June 23, 2008, that McMahon was being sued by Citibank after he reportedly defaulted on a $200,000 loan. The bank was seeking $179,687 in damages and attorney's fees.FOX News: Citibank Sues McMahon to Recoup Nearly $200,000 (June 23, 2008) TMZ.com reported on January 15, 2009, that Citibank won the default judgment against McMahon. He was ordered to pay $179,687.08 plus costs.TMZ: Citi to McMahon -- Now Pay-OOOOOh (January 15, 2009)

• Hey-o!

  Ed McMahon made television history on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and amazingly, he did it by sitting still and commenting infrequently. McMahon provided a constant and giddy audience for Johnny Carson's comedy, often adding a boisterous "Hey-o!" after many of Carson's punchlines.

  The format of a host and sidekick ushered in other talk show sidekicks, most notably Andy Richter, who did essentially the same job for the first several seasons on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Jeffrey Tambor even played a character much like McMahon on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show, quipping occasionally at the hosts jokes like McMahon did.

• Other Projects

  McMahon has also been a product spokesman for a number of different companies, including Budweiser, Kellogg's and Uncle Ben's Rice. For a time, McMahon was even the face of Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes.

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Ed McMahon Neck Surgery | Donald Trump Ed McMahon | Johnny Carson | Budweiser | Kellogg's | Uncle Ben's Rice | Cash4Gold Super Bowl Ad | Susan Boyle | Stephen Baldwin Bankruptcy

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