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Actor and comedian Garry Shandling, who starred in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show, has died. He died on March 24. He suddenly collapsed at his home and was rushed to the hospital, suffering from an apparent medical emergency. No cause of death has been announced. Mr. Shandling was 66.

Shandling's career in Hollywood began as a sitcom writer. He wrote four episodes of Sanford and Son in 1975-1976, one episode of Welcome Back, Kotter in 1976 and one episode of The Harvey Korman Show in 1978 where he also worked as a story editor for the series. He became a stand-up comedian because he was frustrated by situation comedy's "formulaic writing".

Shandling performed his first stand-up routine at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles in 1978. He made his first appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on March 18, 1981. He guest hosted seven times in 1986-1987.

In 1984, he performed his first stand-up special, Garry Shandling: Alone in Vegas, for Showtime. A second special, The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special, aired on Showtime in 1986. His third special, Garry Shandling: Stand-Up, aired in 1991 as part of the HBO Comedy Hour.

He created the sitcom It's Garry Shandling's Show with Alan Zweibel for Showtime in 1986. Fox began airing reruns of the series in 1988 not long after they aired on Showtime. Shandling also wrote 15 episodes of the series. It starred Barbara Cason, Molly Cheek, Michael Tucci, Bernadette Birkett, Scott Nemes and Paul Wilson. The show was notable for its frequent use of breaking the fourth wall to allow characters to speak directly to the audience. It also had the memorable "This is the Theme to Garry's Show" theme song, which was performed by Los Angeles musician Bill Lynch. The show was nominated for four Emmy Awards from 1986-1990.

Shandling and Dennis Klein created his second sitcom, The Larry Sanders Show, for HBO in 1992. The successful series ran for 6 seasons and 89 episodes until 1998. It was set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show called The Larry Sanders Show. The cast included Jeffrey Tambor, Rip Torn, Penny Johnson, Janeane Garofalo, Jeremy Piven, Wallace Langham and Mary Lynn Rajskub. Shandling was nominated for 18 Emmy Awards for the show and won the Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series" in 1998, along with Peter Tolan, for writing the series finale, "Flip". Shandling wrote 38 episodes of the series, and directed three episodes in the final season.

He served as the host of the Emmys three times in 2000, 2003 (co-host) and 2004 and as host of the Grammys four times in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994. Some of his television guest appearances included The Ben Stiller Show, Caroline in the City, The X-Files and My Adventures in Television.

His film credits included Love Affair, Mixed Nuts, Dr. Doolittle (voice), Hurlyburly, What Planet Are You From? (also producer and writer), Town & Country, Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him on June 9, 2011.

Mr. Shandling was brilliantly funny. He was wonderful in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show. It's so nice the complete series are available on DVD. We thank him for the many laughs he brought us over the years. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show message boards. View photos in our galleries.

To commemorate Garry Shandling, Antenna TV will be airing his first appearance on Johnny Carson tonight (Friday, March 25) at 11pm ET. The episode featuring Shandling's first appearance (stand-up comedy with praise from Johnny) originally aired on March 18, 1981. Find Antenna TV in your area at antenna.tv .

It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of March 28-April 1, 2016, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!


Monday, March 28, 2016

• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Watch Ashton on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Don Cheadle (House of Lies/The Golden Palace) - Don stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• H. Jon Benjamin (Bob's Burgers/Home Movies) - H. Jon visits Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Jussie Smollett (On Our Own) - Jussie is a guest on a repeat of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore at 11:30pm on Comedy Central. He will also be on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• J.B. Smoove (The Millers/Bent/'Til Death/Curb Your Enthusiasm) - J.B. visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Craig Ferguson (The Drew Carey Show) - Craig stops by LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Seth Rogen (Undeclared/Freaks and Geeks) - Seth appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Jerry O'Connell (We Are Men/Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Jerry is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Judy Greer (Married/Miss Guided/Arrested Development) - Judy discusses her roles in everything from The Wedding Planner to 13 Going on 30 and Jurassic World on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Debi Mazar (Younger/Entourage/Working) - Debi and her husband travel the globe for exotic healthy edibles on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Kelsey Grammer (Partners/Frasier/Cheers) - Kelsey makes burgers with Michael Symon on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym is part of the Plugged-In panel on a repeat of access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Jenny McCarthy (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny is a guest on People Now.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

• Adam Driver (Girls) - Catch Adam on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Tracy Morgan (30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) - Kunal appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Rob Corddry (Ballers/The Winner) - Rob visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) - Ilana and Abbi are guests on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm.
• Kevin Nealon (Weeds/Champs/Hiller and Diller) - Kevin appears on a repeat of @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Jim Jefferies (Legit) - Jim is a guest on @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Niecy Nash (The Soul Man/Getting On/Reno 911!) - Niecy stops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah shares two of her favorite dessert recipes you can make with your kids on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• George Lopez (Lopez/Saint George/George Lopez) - George chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. He will also be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Jaime King (Gary Unmarried/The Class/Kitchen Confidential) - Jaime is a guest on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Laura Prepon (Are You There, Chelsea?/That '70s Show) - Laura talks about the best new detox to overhaul your weight on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio talks about The Bet Honors on a repeat of Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

• Mike Epps (Survivor's Remorse) - Watch Mike on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• James Spader (The Office)- James visits The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Colin Hanks (Life in Pieces) - Colin appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Eric stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) and Danny Masterson (Men at Work/That '70s Show) - Ashton and Danny are guests on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Jennifer visits LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Julie Bowen (Modern Family/Ed) - Julie appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Joey Lawrence (Melissa & Joey/Brotherly Love/Blossom/Gimme a Break) - Joey talks about Saved by Grace on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee talks about BET's Black Girls Rock on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Emeril Lagasse (Emeril) - Emeril appears on a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Lisa Kudrow (Friends/The Comeback) - Lisa is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James appears on Tavis Smiley on PBS, so check your local listings.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

• Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Catch Andrew on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He talks about the current season of Girls on ABC's Good Morning America and on People Now.
• Jurnee Smollett-Bell (On Our Own/Full House) - Jurnee appears on a repeat of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
• Laurence Fishburne (black-ish) - Laurence and the cast of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice are guests on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Eric talks about Confirmation on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Melissa Joan Hart (Melissa & Joey/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Clarissa Explains It All) and Robin Givens (Head of the Class) - Melissa and Robin talk about God's Not Dead 2 on NBC's Today in the 9am hour and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy gives the scoop on her latest book on a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Tori Spelling (Mystery Girls) - Tori and Dead McDermott talk about their new cooking show Tori & Dean's Spring Picnic on a repeat of Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Don Cheadle (The Golden Palace/House of Lies) - Don is a guest on Tavis Smiley on PBS, so check your local listings.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee appears on Essence Live

Friday, April 1, 2016

• Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) - Watch Thomas on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Drea De Matteo (Joey) - Drea is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter) - John visits LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Ashton Kutcher (That '70s Show/Two and a Half Men) - Ashton appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Pamela Anderson (Stacked) - Pamela discusses her new shoe and makeup lines on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Christopher Meloni (Surviving Jack/The Fanelli Boys) - Christopher chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Leah Remini (The Exes/The Family Tools/The King of Queens) - Leah talks about her 80 pound weight loss and the Scientology scandal on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew joins Clinton Kelly to recreate one of his childhood favorites on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Debra Messing (Will & Grace) - Debra plays a life-size game of rock, paper, scissors on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Carrie Preston (Crowded/Emeril) - Carrie talks about Crowded on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Jason Biggs (Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason and his wife Jenny Mollen stop by the People Now studios to talk about their SiriusXM radio show.
• Robin Givens (Head of the Class) - Robin talks about God's Not Dead 2 on a repeat of Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Jaime King (Gary Unmarried/The Class/Kitchen Confidential) - Jaime talks about her show Attention Deficit Theater on a repeat of access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Tori Spelling (Mystery Girls) - Tori is a guest on People Now.

All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!