Send this page to someone via email

Comedy actor Bob Einstein, who famously portrayed accident-prone stuntman Super Dave Osborne and Marty Funkhouser in Curb Your Enthusiasm, has died at the age of 76.

READ MORE: Celebrities we lost in 2018

Einstein’s brother, actor-director Albert Brooks, confirmed his death on Twitter Wednesday.

“R.I.P. My dear brother Bob Einstein,” he tweeted. “A brilliantly funny man. You will be missed forever.”

R.I.P. My dear brother Bob Einstein. A great brother, father and husband. A brilliantly funny man. You will be missed forever. — Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) January 2, 2019

Einstein’s death came shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer, the New York Times and Deadline Hollywood reported.

Einstein started his career as a comedy writer in the 1960s before transitioning into acting. He debuted his optimistic but hard-luck stuntman character, Super Dave, on The John Byner Comedy Hour in 1972, and went on to play the part in several other comedy-show appearances.

Story continues below advertisement

He eventually spun the character off into his own show, which was shot in Toronto and aired on Global Television in the late 1980s and early ’90s.

He also played the part on various talk shows after the show ended.

Einstein won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour in 1969 and Van Dyke and Company in 1977.

He later appeared as Larry David’s grumpy friend, Marty Funkhouser, through several seasons of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.

WATCH: ‘Super Dave Osborne’ dies at 76

2:01 ‘Super Dave Osborne’ dies at 76 ‘Super Dave Osborne’ dies at 76

Several cast members of Curb Your Enthusiasm also shared their grief over Einstein’s passing on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.

Story continues below advertisement

Richard Lewis, Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, Larry David, Cheryl Hines, Bob Einstein at arrivals for Curb Your Enthusiasm at the 27th Annual PaleyFest William S. Paley Television Festival, Saban Theatre, Beverly Hills, CA March 14, 2010. Ratianda/Everett Collection

“I’m in shock,” tweeted actor Richard Lewis, who plays himself on the show.

I’m in shock.

I knew him forever. ♥️to his loved ones. His long career is hard to match. His role on #curbyourenthusiasm was excruciatingly brilliant! Our cast and crew will be devastated.

He was so loved. He told me how much he loved LD and Curb. RIP buddy. ⁦@HBO⁩ pic.twitter.com/G8f5PoffuF — Richard Lewis (@TheRichardLewis) January 2, 2019

We lost a friend today. ♥️ thanks for all of the laughs on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Our love to Bob’s family. #BobEinstein #SuperDave. The comedy world will miss you. pic.twitter.com/aLIjq8LoVP — Cheryl Hines (@CherylHines) January 2, 2019

David Mandel, former director and executive producer of Curb Your Enthusiasm, recollected one of his favourite Bob Einstein comedic contributions.

Very sad. Got to work with him on #Curb. Had heard he was sick. Will never forget him telling @jerryseinfeld​ the dirty joke about the newlyweds. https://t.co/9Ch81VRHV5 via @deadline — David Mandel (@DavidHMandel) January 2, 2019

Mark Hamill, the actor best known for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars film franchise, expressed thanks to Einstein for “a lifetime of laughs.”

Thank you for a lifetime of laughs, Bob Einstein.#RIPSuperDaveOsborne — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) January 2, 2019

Comedian and Star Trek actor Brent Spiner paid tribute to Einstein and the characters he portrayed on screen.

RIP Bob Einstein and all his wonderful characters. — Brent Spiner (@BrentSpiner) January 2, 2019

Sports Illustrated tweeted a video showing Einstein’s first stunt as Super Dave Osborne.

Story continues below advertisement

R.I.P. Stewart Robert Einstein also known as stuntman 'Super Dave Osborne' Here's a clip of his first stunt pic.twitter.com/As8RSl1ymW — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 2, 2019

— With files from Rahul Kalvapalle