Jack Riley, who played Elliot Carlin on "The
Bob Newhart Show," died on Friday at the age of 80
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Riley, a venerable character actor, began working in television back in the 1960's. He appeared in numerous hit shows, including "Gomer Pyle:USMC," "The Flying Nun," "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Hogan's Heroes," to name just a few.
His best known role came in 1972 when he was cast as the highly-neurotic Elliot Carlin on "The
Bob Newhart Show." Riley appeared in over 50 episodes over the show's six-season run.
He also enjoyed a robust film career, having appeared in numerous productions by comedy legend
Mel Brooks. Riley had parts in Brooks' "Silent Movie," "High Anxiety," "History of the World: Part I," "Spaceballs" and "To Be or Not to Be."
Later in his career, Riley continued to find work on television, particularly in comedy. He made multiple appearances on the hit series "Night Court," as well as "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Seinfeld."
Riley was also known for voicing Stu Pickles on the popular Nickelodeon series "Rugrats." The show proved to be a major hit and helped launch Nick Toons in the early 1990s. Riley would stay with the show throughout its nearly 15-year run, also lending his voice to "Rugrats: All Growed Up" and "The Rugrats Movie."
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