Carol Burnett paid an emotional tribute to Steve Lawrence after his death aged 88 this week.
The iconic singer passed away following ‘complications due to Alzheimer’s disease,’ according to a press release shared on Thursday. The lounge crooner shared his diagnosis in 2019.
Burnett, who shared the stage with Lawrence numerous times on The Carol Burnett show from 1967-1978 shared a sweet snap of the pair and wrote: ‘Steve was one of my favorite guests on my variety show, appearing 39 times.
‘He was also my very close friend … so close that I considered him ‘family.’ He will always be in my heart.’
The stage performer – who was married to singer Eydie Gormé – was best known for his hit songs like Go Away Little Girl from 1963.
Carol Burnett paid an emotional tribute to Steve Lawrence after his death aged 88 this week (pictured 1969)
Burnett, who shared the stage with Lawrence numerous times on The Carol Burnett show from 1967-1978 shared a sweet snap of the pair and wrote: ‘Steve was one of my favorite guests on my variety show, appearing 39 times’
‘My dad was an inspiration to so many people,’ said his son David in a statement.
‘But, to me, he was just this charming, handsome, hysterically funny guy who sang a lot. Sometimes alone and sometimes with his insanely talented wife.’
David continued, ‘I am so lucky to have had him as a father and so proud to be his son. My hope is that his contributions to the entertainment industry will be remembered for many years to come.’
He is survived not only by his son David, but also his daughter-in-law Faye, granddaughter Mabel, and brother Bernie.
The Grammy winner was a member of the duo Steve and Eydie with his late wife Eydie. He was also close pals with Frank Sinatra and toured with him.
He also appeared in movies: In 1980, Lawrence appeared in The Blues Brothers as an agent the singers then was in the sequel, 1998’s Blues Brothers 2000
And he starred as Fran Drescher’s father in the TV series The Nanny and he appeared on Hot In Cleveland.
‘He was also my very close friend … so close that I considered him ‘family.’ He will always be in my heart’ (pictured with Sally Struthers in 1975)
Burnett recently opened up about her career and the biggest mistake she has made in a candid chat with Harper’s Bazaar
When she took her Q&A act on the road shortly after 9/11, a fan asked Burnett who she would be and what she would do if she was a member of the opposite sex for 24 hours ‘I said, ‘I’d be Osama bin Laden, and I’d kill myself,’ ” Burnett said, while admitting she regrets the joke
Burnett said she initially had doubts about opening her variety show with a Q&A act but soon reveled in the skit
Burnett recently opened up about her career and the biggest mistake she has made in a candid chat with Harper’s Bazaar.
When she took her Q&A act on the road shortly after 9/11, a fan asked Burnett who she would be and what she would do if she was a member of the opposite sex for 24 hours
‘I said, ‘I’d be Osama bin Laden, and I’d kill myself,’ ” Burnett said, while admitting she regrets the joke.
Burnett said she initially had doubts about opening her variety show with a Q&A act but soon reveled in the skit.
She said: ‘I balked at first.
‘I said, ‘What if they don’t ask anything? Or what if they do and I can’t answer it?’ And he said, ‘Well, we’ll put some plants in the audience.’ And then I thought about it, and I said, ‘No, it’s got to be real.’”
‘I started to get comfortable, and it turned out to be one of my favorite things that we ever did.’