Dick Capri dead at 93: Comedian and Broadway star has passed away in his sleep

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Comedian Dick Capri had been diagnosed with a bleeding enlarged aorta that had been reportedly rendered inoperable because of his advanced age.

According to the NHS, an “abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling in the aorta, the artery that carries blood from the heat to the tummy (abdomen).” Dick Capri spent his final Christmas with his family before dying in his sleep in the early hours in Florida on Thursday December 26.

Dick Capri’s son Jeff told TMZ that “The world is not as funny today as it was yesterday.” Dick Capri, whose real name was Richard Crupi and was born in Reading in Pennsylvania, started performing stand up comedy in the 1960s and went on a tour with Englebert Humperdinck in 1973.

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Deadline reported that “Working with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli and Tom Jones, Dick performed comedy for Presidents Gerald Ford and George Bush. He also appeared in The NY Friars Club Roast of Drew Carey, airing on Comedy Central in 1998.”

Comedy writer Alan Zweibel paid tribute to Dick Capri on Instagram and wrote: “I just learned of the passing of Dick Capri, 52 years ago, when I started writing jokes for Catskill comics there was no one funnier, more fun to be around and more encouraging than Capri. And he remained a friend all of these years since.”

Alan Zweibel also said: “What I think I loved the most about him was his simple honesty. A man who had brushes with greatness, yet managed to stay his humble self. R.I.P. Dick. Thank you for all you taught me.”

Comedian Mike Fine wrote: “Some say it’s not good to meet your idols cause you could be disappointed but not with Dick. From the first time I met him at the #friarsclub he could not have been nicer, sweeter or more down to earth. An absolute giant of a performer and more importantly as a person. Lucky to have called him a friend.”

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