R.I.P. DAVID LANDER...

When it came to ticklin' the funny bone, you were a veritable master, Mr. Lander; and your teaming with Michael McKean made Lenny and Squiggy one of the greatest comedy duos of all time. (To boot, Lenny and the Squigtones should've won a darn Grammy! Your album only continues to sweeten.)

You covered cool ground beyond "Laverne and Shirley", of course, with guest-starring roles (in the flesh and via character vocals) in such quality fare as "Star Trek: the Next Generation"; "Monsters"; "Freddy's Nightmares"; "Twin Peaks"; "Highway to Heaven"; "The Simpsons"; "Tall Tales & Legends"; "Batman: the Animated Series"; "Superman: the Animated Series"; "Tattoed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills"; "Galaxy High School"; "Matlock"; "Pacific Blue"; "The Drew Carey Show"; "Married...With Children"; and such full-length features as "Funland"; "Scary Movie"; "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"; "Titan A.E."; "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius"; "Green Lantern: First Flight"; "Pandemonium"; "Steel and Lace"; "Used Cars"; "A Bug's Life"; "Dr. Doolittle 2"; "Wholly Moses!"; and your ol' costar, Penny Marshall's "A League of Their Own". 

However, my favorite of your supplemental, celluloid sojourns remains "Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down", one of the best and most underrated, surreal cartoons ever to surface on any Saturday morn. (You deftly tapped Mr. Lewis' silly spirit with each shenanigan contained: indeed, no small, impersonating feat.) 

And I'd be certainly amiss if I were to bypass your acclaimed autobiography, "Fall Down Laughing", which details your brave brawl with multiple sclerosis: an inspiring and good-natured effort that tells how guffaws can be found in light of misfortune.

May the good Lord grant you a good, contented rest. For all the energy, courage and elation you delivered, you do deserve it, my fine, funny friend.