A little secret about me: when I was a kid, my first word wasn't "mom" or "dad" or "binky", it was "Batman." I used to watch the old Adam West series religiously, and I guess I just decided that badly dressed TV superhero names were more important to me than parental units. The original Riddler, impressionist/comedian Frank Gorshin, died of lung cancer, emphysema, and pneumonia last night at the age of 72. I like Jim Carrey, but no one could top Gorshin's truly unique take on the comic book character. Frank Gorshin dead at 72
A little secret about me: when I was a kid, my first word wasn't "mom" or "dad" or "binky", it was "Batman." I used to watch the old Adam West series religiously, and I guess I just decided that badly dressed TV superhero names were more important to me than parental units. The original Riddler, impressionist/comedian Frank Gorshin, died of lung cancer, emphysema, and pneumonia last night at the age of 72. I like Jim Carrey, but no one could top Gorshin's truly unique take on the comic book character. 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-16-2005 @ 4:19PM
Man said...
He was a staple of 70's TV appearing in dozens of top shows at least the ones I loved to watch. He was filming two movies aside from CSI when he fell ill I hope the films capture his great comic side and his mastery of impressions, it was this mastery that let him play the Riddler, a loving father or a killer.
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6-16-2005 @ 4:19PM
potomac45 said...
Frank Gorshin was the best at impersonation.
I remember him in the early 50's in Pittsburgh. He was in high school when he won the "Wikens Amateur Hour", singing Mammy, on one knee. he had Al Jolson Perfectly.
Dottie: My condolences to you and Paul.
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6-16-2005 @ 4:19PM
potomac45 said...
Frank Gorshin was the best at impersonation.
I remember him in the early 50's in Pittsburgh. He was in high school when he won the "Wilkens Amateur Hour", singing Mammy, on one knee. he had Al Jolson Perfectly.
Dottie: My condolences to you and Paul.
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6-16-2005 @ 4:19PM
mike oldfield said...
Gorshin was a brilliant impressionist. No one could do Kirk Douglas And Burt Lancaster complete with the big toothy smiles like Frank. To see him at his best, you need to watch a 1970,s TV series called "The Copycats" starring Frank and Canadian impressionist Rich Little.
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6-16-2005 @ 4:19PM
Weir Family said...
Dottie, Please contact us at We are your Gorshin cousins. We were very sorry to hear of Frank's death. We enjoyed him in many of his performances around the country and followed his career. We are cousins through Louise Gorshin of Jeannette, PA. You have a whole family of cousins who have never been able to find you.
Todd Weir family
from the IL prairie
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6-16-2005 @ 4:19PM
David Kamenir said...
Frank was a great actor and impressionist. I grew up in Pacific Palisades and always remembered that he lieved in the area. I was very excited to see his one man show "Say Goodnight Gracie in New York. He was astounding!
When I spoke to him earlier this year (at the one-woman show on Etherl Merman), he was in usual happy self. He will be missed.
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