LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comic actor Harvey Korman, who co-starred on U.S. television's "The Carol Burnett Show" in the 1960s and '70s and in "Blazing Saddles" and other Mel Brooks movies, died on Thursday at age 81.
Korman died of complications from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm he suffered four months ago, according to a statement issued by the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center.
"It was a miracle in itself that he survived the incident at all," his daughter, Kate Korman, said in a statement.
"Everyone in the hospital referred to him as 'miracle man' because of his strong will and ability to bounce right back after several major operations. Tragically, after such a hard-fought battle he passed away," she added.
The lanky actor, whose talents ranged from leading man to voice-over artist, won four Emmy Awards for his work on "The Carol Burnett Show" between 1967 and 1977.
He also played a prominent supporting role, as the domineering character Hedley Lamarr, in the 1974 western spoof "Blazing Saddles," and appeared in two other Brooks films, "High Anxiety" and "The History of the World: Part I."
In recent years he provided voice-overs for the children's television cartoon series "Hey Arnold!" and as the character Dictabird in the 1994 live-action feature film "The Flintstones."
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Steve Gorman and Mohammad Zargham)
