Larry Storch, the stand-up comic turned ubiquitous television actor who made an indelible impression as the bumbling Corporal Randolph Agarn on the 1960s sitcom F Troop, has died. He was 99.
His death was announced on his Facebook page. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that our beloved Larry passed away in his sleep overnight. We are shocked and speechless at the moment. Please remember that he loved each and every one of you and didn’t want you to cry over his death. He is reunited with his wife Norma and his beloved F Troop cast and so many friends and family.”
Born in New York City, the Stork — his Bronx accent was to have a lasting impact in his comic book portrayals — began his show business career as a stand-up comic and built his popularity into a prolific and long-lasting television career that began in earnest on The Phil Silver’s 1958 show.
Stork was soon appearing regularly on programs of the era, including The Ed Sullivan Show, and lending his distinctive voice to numerous animated films, including Koko the Clown and most notably as Mr. Whoopee in the popular mid-1960s animated series Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales.
Storch became a familiar presence on television, appearing on Car 54, Where Are You?, Get Smart, Sergeant Bilko, That Girl, The Flying Nun, I Dream of Jeannie, The Doris Day Show, Gilligan’s Island, Gomer Pyle, and USMC on , a little later even All in the Family, in which he played an old buddy of Archie Bunker who was looking for a youth.
But it was his performance as the dimwitted Agarn on the 1965-67 Wild West sitcom F Troop that brought him his most enduring fame. Paired with Forrest Tucker’s scheming Sgt. Morgan O’Rourke at the ironically named Fort Courage military outpost, Storch brought a broad variety-comic style to the show, doing for the Old West what Tim Conway did for McHale’s Navy for WWII .
Stork, right, with actors Mickey Freeman and Soupy Sales at Friar’s Club in New York (2001) AP
Stork and Tucker formed a memorable comic team and repeatedly used the show’s signature catchphrase: After Agarn had a surprisingly sharp observation or idea, O’Rourke said, “Agarn, I don’t know why everyone says you’re so stupid .” Agarn skipped to another scene and very hesitantly and angrily replied, “Who says I’m stupid?”
Although he continued to appear in front of the camera in many television series throughout his career – The Love Boat, Married…with Children, Knight Rider to name a few, Storch found even greater success as a voice actor, creating hundreds of characters for series such as The Pink Panther Show, Groovie Goolies, The Brady Kids and Garfield and Friends.
Storch has also appeared frequently on stage, with Broadway credits such as Porgy and Bess (1983), Arsenic and Old Lace (1986), Annie Get Your Gun (1999) and 2004’s Sly Fox with Richard Dreyfuss and Irwin Corey.
Information about survivors was not immediately available.