Harry Anderson, the magician-turned-comic-turned-actor best known for playing a lightly disguised version of himself as a judge on the TV sitcom “Night Court,” was found dead Monday morning at his home in Asheville, North Carolina, police told NBC News.
Anderson was 65. The cause of death wasn’t disclosed, but police said foul play wasn’t suspected.
Anderson, who often said he was inspired to pursue magic by Harry Blackstone Sr., the famed stage magician of the last century, grew up in Southern California and began performing at clubs like Dante Magic Club and the Magic Castle while he was still in high school. His stage name was Harry the Hat for the fedora he habitually wore.
Anderson appeared numerous times on Johnny Carson’s version of “The Tonight Show” and “Saturday Night Live” during the 1980s and soon became a recurring guest star on “Cheers,” playing a swindler and grifter called, not surprisingly, Harry the Hat.