Rudy Moreno dead at 66: The comedian and actor, a veteran of the comedy circuit, has passed away

Comedian and actor Rudy Moreno, who was considered a veteran of the Los Angeles comedy circuit, has died at 66. He passed away after a stint in ICU and according to TMZ, “he ended up in the ICU while battling pneumonia and receiving dialysis treatment… and his wife, Arlene, couldn’t find him, claiming the hospital told her he wasn’t in the system.”

Rudy Moreno appeared in TV shows such as Arrested Development, Monk, The Shield, Judging Amy and The Kingpin and tributes have been pouring in for him. The actor Ken Jeong wrote: “My heart is truly broken. Rudy Moreno, the Godfather of Latino Comedy, was the first person to book me at the Ice House.” He went on to say that “I am getting emotional as I type this, and I am sending all my love to his wife Arlene, his son Nathan and the rest of his beautiful family. Love you so much, Rudy. I know you’re making heaven laugh.”

Comedian Dante wrote: “I am devastated. I am gutted today. One of my favorite people in this world has passed away. The Godfather of comedy is gone. He also shared: “He was not only a great comedian, he was an even better friend. I will honor your name forever! I love you Rudy!”

Rudy Moreno grew up in Lincoln Heights in Los Angeles and according to his biography on Laugh Factory, “Rudy started his career in show business age age 13, when he formed his first (of many) garage bands, the then went on after high school to be a radio disc jockey, also working as a DJ in many Southern California nightclubs.”

His biography on Laugh Factory also revealed that “Rudy was also named the 1998-99 Latino Comedian of the Year, and he recorded his comedy CD ‘No Looking Back’ on the Uproar label.”

The Stand Up Comedy Club in Bellflower in California also paid tribute to Rudy Moreno on their Instagram and wrote: “It is with heavy heart we announce the passing of Rudy Moreno, a legend in the comedy and entertainment world. A man who has given so many comics their start and has devoted his life to making people laugh for decades. Thank you for your commitment to excellence and laughter, you will be missed.”

In response to The Stand Up Comedy Club’s tribute, many comedians also posted their own tributes. Comedian Ian Bagg said: “So sad to hear this. Thank you Rudy for everything my friend, much love to your family,” whilst Laurie Kilmartin wrote: “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry to hear that. He was a great comic and a super nice guy. The rarest of combos in this business.”