Ronnie Schell, 1931 – 2026

Ubiquitous sitcom actor Ronnie Schell, 94, died on June 12. Schell started his career as a successful stand-up comic, moving into films and TV by the early 1960s. He could equally well play amiable pals and devious scoundrels, and had continuing supporting roles in Good Morning World, Gomer Pyle, and Santa Barbara, and appeared in more than 100 shows (including The Patty Duke Show, That Girl, Arnie, Losta Luck!, Happy Days, Sanford and Son, Charlie’s Angels, Madame’s Place, The Golden Girls, and The Wayans Bros.). He was also a busy voice actor in many cartoon series, and appeared in a handful of movies. Schell also continued performing his stand-up act in Vegas into his 80s. He told interviewer Kliph Nesteroff of his fellow comic Don Adams, “Don was a loner. I think his only friend was Don Rickles. He was a very funny, caustic comedian. The first time he worked the Hungry i, I got to know him pretty well. I fixed him up with some girls. One lady I fixed him up with, well, I had never seen the lady in the light. I said, "This ‘lady you'll love her, Don. She looks like Shirley MacLaine.’ Well, he had the date, and the next time he saw me he said, ‘Did you say Shirley MacLaine or Barton MacLane?’ True story.”