Larry Storch

Comic Larry Storch parlayed his success on the nightclub circuit into a bountiful career as a comedic performer on Broadway and in movies and TV. Storch replaced Jackie Gleason as the host of "Cavalcade of Stars" (1952) and then followed him again as the host of "The Larry Storch Show" (1953), a summer replacement series for "The Jackie Gleason Show." His career took off after playing a major supporting role in the Broadway comedy "Who Was That Lady I Saw You With," which was later filmed as "Who Was That Lady?" (1960). Storch often appeared in light Hollywood comedies of the 60s, using his nightclub bag of tricks to play bizarre roles alongside the talents of Tony Curtis, Gregory Peck and Angie Dickinson in "Captain Newman M.D." (1963); Rock Hudson and Leslie Caron in "A Very Special Favor" (1965); and Ann-Margret and Michael Parks in "Bus Riley's Back in Town" (1965). From 1965-67, Storch played the role of Corporal Randolph Agarn in "F-Troop," the short-lived but well-loved situation comedy about the antics at Fort Courage, a 19th-century military outpost situated in the Wild West. As Sergeant O'Rourke's (Forrest Tucker) scheming sidekick, Storch always managed to get himself and his superiors in trouble. The program enjoyed a successful second life in syndicated reruns, mostly due to Agarn's appeal. Storch teamed up again with Tucker for the children's series "The Ghost Busters" (1975-76), and remained active by providing voices for cartoons and appearing in the occasional TV variety special and movie and onstage. Larry Storch died on July 8, 2022 in New York City, NY at the age of 99.