TC

Sad to hear that Tim Conway has died.  Like a number of other recent Hollywood deaths (such as Doris Day) I'm not sure what to say.  Conway was just one of those funny guys who delivered, and it was just good to know he was around.

He first came to fame as Ensign Parker on McHale's Navy.  The service comedy had a large cast, but I think it's safe to say that Parker as the klutzy but by-the-book Ensign was the show's breakout character.

The sitcom left the air after four seasons and there were a couple attempts to have Conway star in his own show--Rango and The Tim Conway Show--but both were one-season flops.  However, he showed his comic chops as second banana on The Carol Burnett Show, becoming a regular for several seasons, creating a number of memorable characters and winning an Emmy for his supporting work. (Though it was more fun when he lost to Chevy Chase or Harvey Korman.)

He was never featured so well again, though he went on to do a number of films--often teamed with Don Knotts--and in his final decades did numerous TV guest shots, usually on sitcoms. It's worth noting he wasn't being given charity roles for nostalgic reasons--he generally knocked it out of the park, even winning Emmys for appearance on Coach and 30 Rock.  I particularly remember him in the latter show, playing an old-timer who returns to NBC and turns out to be intensely creepy.

I can also recommend his memoir from a few years ago, What's So Funny?--as charming as the man himself.