Joe Restivo The Lines Behind The Laughs Passes

BURBANK, CA (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Joe Restivo, a comedian and character actor died on Nov. 26 at a Burbank hospital after a long battle with cancer, said his wife, Maryanne. He was 60.

According to the LA Times he was a comedian of "middle-class angst," focusing his comedic efforts on calling attention to the everyday annoyances that can both trap a person and make him laugh.

"I just talk about people being trapped by the world — their stress, their anger, their reaction to being trapped," Mr. Restivo said in 1990.

After years of writing jokes for the great comics such as Rodney Dangerfield, Freddie Prinze and Joan Rivers. Restivo later struck out on his own and was featured in the syndicated TV show "The Comedy Shop" along with Jay Leno, Howie Mandel and others.

In addition to "Late Night With David Letterman," Mr. Restivo appeared in more than 15 television shows, including "Seinfeld" and "Hill Street Blues," and a number of films. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers