In addition to the "Match Game" that made him a name to people like us here, Reilly also won a Tony in 1962 for "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", where he played the boss's unctuous nephew who'd hoped to gain a foothold through nepotism.
(If you're unfamilar with musicals, picture an all-singing, all-dancing Andy Bernard)
It's an unbelievably weasel-y and very funny role and I have no doubt that CNR was hilarious.
You know what, though - on a current events mode - I wonder why every article about his death has to explore his gayness in Hollywood. I'll be honest, I never thought about it one time, but I did laugh my ass off at Charles more than once. I figured it was an act. I knew about Paul Lynde, but figured Charles was too "out there" to be real.
Charles Nelson Reilly was screwed out of an Academy Award for his brilliant work in BodySlam. I thought he was much closer to 86 than 76. Charles Nelson Reilly will be blanked.
'Ric Flair wishes he was Paul Roma.' Congratulations Paul on winning the Idiotic Comment of the Decade Award.
Some of my favourite childhood memories are watching Match Game with my parents. His give-and-take with Brett Sommers was thoroughly entertaining. Even better, the show's hilarity has held up over the years now that we can see it again on GSN.
"Welcome to Uncle Croc's Block, the greatest show there is or my name ain't Croc!"
Thank you Mr. Reilly for firmly entrenching that theme in my head while I have no memory at all of high school calculus.
As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004 OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005 OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005 OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005 As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight" As of 7/31/06: 224 pounds