Ed McMahon dead at 86

June 23, 9:38 AMKansas City TV ExaminerTimothy English

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   Ed McMahon passed away Tuesday at age 86 (AP Photo)

Ed McMahon 1923-2009

     Ed McMahon, who played Tonto to Johnny Carson's Lone Ranger for thirty years as sidekick and announcer on The Tonight Show, died early this morning.

     According to his publicist Howard Bragman, McMahon passed away shortly after midnight at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.  He was surrounded by his wife, Pam, and other family members.

     Bragman, who didn't give a specific cause of death said that McMahon had a "multitude of health problems the last few months."

     In the fall of 2007, McMahon fell and broke his neck making it impossible for him to work.  This past year McMahon was in and out of the hospital due to pneumonia like symptoms and according to a source speaking on anonymity, the actor had developed bone cancer among other illnesses.

     McMahon who hosted the talent show Star Search from 1983-2003, will always be most well known for sitting shotgun to the late Johnny Carson until 1992 when Carson retired from show business.  He was always ready to chuckle and guffaw at Carson's jokes no matter how good or bad they were.  His famous "He-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny" introduction is one of the most imitated intro lines today.

     On his sidekick relationship to Carson, McMahon once said, "It's like a pitcher who has a favorite catcher," he said. "The pitcher gets a little help from the catcher, but the pitcher's got to throw the ball. Well, Johnny Carson had to throw the ball, but I could give him a little help."

Source: Fox News