Born Name:  Louis Perry Anderson

Born Date:  March 24, 1953

Born Place:  Saint Paul, Minnesota

Died Date:  January 21, 2022

Died Place:  Las Vegas, Nevada

Occupations:  Stand-up comedian, actor, author, game show host

Brief Biography:  Louis Perry Anderson was a celebrated American stand-up comedian, actor, author, and television host. Known for his self-deprecating "clean" comedy, Anderson's work often drew inspiration from his chaotic upbringing as one of 11 children in a household headed by an abusive, alcoholic father.

Early Life and Career Breakthrough:
Born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Anderson was the second youngest of 11 surviving siblings (his mother actually gave birth to 16 children, five of whom died at birth). Before his comedy career, he worked as a counselor for abused children. His breakthrough came in 1981 when he won the Midwest Comedy Competition, leading to a mentorship with veteran comic Henny Youngman. In 1984, he made a legendary network debut on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, famously opening with, "Listen, I don't have much time, I'm in between meals".

Major Entertainment Milestones:
Animated Success: He created and voiced the Fox series Life with Louie (1995–1998), based on his childhood. The show won two Daytime Emmy Awards.
Film Roles: He appeared in iconic 80s films, including Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) as a singing telegram and Coming to America (1988) as Maurice, a role he reprised in the 2021 sequel.
Game Show Hosting: Anderson hosted the revival of Family Feud from 1999 to 2002.
Late-Career Triumph: From 2016 to 2019, he starred as Christine Baskets in the FX series Baskets. His performance, modeled after his own mother, earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2016.

Authorship and Later Life:
Anderson was a best-selling author, writing four books including Dear Dad: Letters from an Adult Child (1989) and Hey Mom: Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too (2018).