The Unusual Diet That Caused Marty Feldman’s Death at 48 Years Old
Marty Feldman, born Martin Alan Feldman on July 8, 1934, in London, England, was a comedic trailblazer whose life and career left an indelible mark on the world of comedy. Despite a challenging early life and health issues that contributed to his distinctive appearance, Feldman's journey to comedic stardom was one filled with dedication, creativity, and an irrepressible sense of humor. His career began with humble roots in the world of British television, where he honed his writing and comedic talents.
▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 - Intro
00:29 - Early Life
01:48 - Career Highlights
04:55 - Marty's Health
06:49 - His Legacy
07:35 - Outro
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It was in the 1960s that Feldman co-created the groundbreaking sketch comedy series "At Last the 1948 Show," introducing audiences to his unique brand of humor. However, it was his collaboration with the legendary Monty Python team in "Monty Python's Flying Circus" that catapulted him to international fame. His witty writing and memorable on-screen appearances in surreal and absurd sketches solidified his status as a comedic genius.
Beyond television, Feldman's transition to the big screen was marked by unforgettable performances, most notably his role as Igor in Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein." His comedic timing and ability to bring eccentric characters to life made him a beloved figure in cinema.
Tragically, Marty Feldman's life was cut short when he suffered a fatal heart attack on December 2, 1982, while filming "Yellowbeard" in Mexico. His untimely death at the age of 48 was a devastating loss to the world of comedy. However, his legacy lives on through his enduring body of work, which continues to inspire comedians and entertain audiences around the world.
Marty Feldman's distinctive style, willingness to push comedic boundaries, and unforgettable characters ensure that he remains a cherished and influential figure in the history of humor. His legacy is a testament to the power of laughter and the enduring impact of a truly gifted comedian.
The Unusual Diet That Caused Marty Feldman’s Death at 48 Years Old
Smoking was the heart attack inducer. Not eggs and dairy.
Was gonna say the same 😂
People are so fricken ignorant. Im 63 and live on eggs and raw milk and I unload freight trucks for a living. Havent seen a doctor in over 40 years.
@@EquineAdvocateForever I eat beef, cheese, yummy animal profucts daily. I am almost 65, doc said I need a statin. Just say no to drugs!!!
While the smoking didn’t help, hyperthyroidism has pretty bad effects on heart rhythms. Even without smoking, you would have serious heart problems.
Agree 100%
Toxicologist Mark Siddall suggests that Feldman's death was not through poisoning, but rather a logical result of his six-pack a day cigarette habit. I'm inclined to agree.
Agreed
I lost two best friends forever and both were only 41. And yes, smoking was the main culprit.
Something about Camel cigarettes and 'what hump'?
*surely not!* ;)
I think the poisoning was just the thing to set him over the edge. If it weren’t for smoking he probably wouldn’t have died.
Met him once on a plane coming from Ireland in the 70s, he was a quiet and plesent man, gave me an autograph. He was soooo funny especially in the film Young Frankenstein. Loved him😅.........
Hump, what hump?
Did you find yourself liking his comedy just a wee bit more after meeting him? I don't mean that in any condescending way 'cuz it's kind of human nature. You have contact with person and you feel a connection. That's why they go on tour. Let's say that there's a stand up comedy show and there may be some jokes that would barely raise a snigger or titter on your face if you had the remote in your hand in your living room. But in that theatre seeing them live in a room full of people that came out for a laugh, those same jokes will make your knees red from all the slapping. In the 1980s When I was in my 20s I saved my work my money to travel from New England to whatever Southern state was having a big card with Ric Flair on it. So having that close-up contact just changes how you feel about these people.
@@thack57 Hi and thanks for your message.. Wouldn't say there was a connection there but just a plesent easygoing man. Must admit l was nervous though, didn't realise he on board to be honest, it was my mum who pointed him out..l think when you do meet someone famous and they die, its make you feel more privileged that you had met that person..
My favorite Marty moment was in Young Frankenstein when Dr. Frankenstein asked Igor (played my Feldman) whose brain he had gotten, "Abby somebody," "Abby who?" "Abby Normal."
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@markadams7046 Dude!! One of my favorite movie lines of all time
My favorite scene. Laughed so hard 😅 I still remember it
so true , one of the best lines
I thought the part where someone says " Werewolf" and another says " Therewolf"
Half a carton a day?!!!! 100 cigarettes a day? Amazing he lasted til 48.
My gran smoked 4 packs a day and lived to 93 weird the way some people get away with it but others don’t.
most don't@@howey935
@@howey935 it's so rare though. I prefer not risking it
Actually six packs a day - which is 120 in the UK
@@SM-ce1uy I didn’t fancy my chances so I quit smoking as my New Year’s resolution for 2000. I got gifted Allen Car’s book the easy way to stop smoking and it’s the best gift I’ve ever received because it worked and was easy.
I once worked for a record store in NYC back in the '80's and one day Marty Feldman came in to buy a record and the entire staff recognised him, how could you not, and he was very nice to us and joked and clowned around, an all around great guy. Sadly missed.
Do you remember what record he bought?
@@michaelduffy6874 No, it was way too long ago.
Marty Feldman had no involvement in Monty Python's Flying Circus on TV. He appeared in a 1982 stage reunion.
Thank you. I was gonna post this if no one else did.
Marty Feldman was not part of Monty Python's Flying Circus, though he did work with the Pythons on other shows...and his character on Young Frankenstein was spelled Igor, but pronounced Eye-gore....
Right....Frahn-ken-steen and Eye-gore!
@@jeffd1986 Froderick Frahnkensteen. Loved Marty.
I believe he did do some writing, but I can’t think of any time he was on camera in MP.
"Young Frankenstein (1974) - It's pronounced I-gor " KZhead
I think Marty had his own show in the 70s. Marty Feldman and his comedy machine
‘What hump?’ 😂😂😂
Didn’t it move from one side to the other as well?
On different days of filming he wore it on different sides...@@craigbaxter4595
His name was... A.B... something.
One of my favourite sketches from Marty was entitled 'The loneliness of the long distance golfer' but there were so many memorable scenes from his television shows, a superb and imaginative comedy performer who is sadly missed.
One of my favourites too..
Love that sketch too
When I lived in the UK in 71, I discovered the Marty Feldman show. we all would gather in front of the set to watch the show. he never let us down.
His character in "Young Frankenstein" pronounced his name "Eye Gore."
"Young Frankenstein (1974) - It's pronounced I-gor " KZhead
I saw "Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother" one day when I was a child, and I was completely hooked. Such an incredible talent taken too early...
One of his most famous lines, at least to me was, Abby Normal 😂😂. Hard to believe that he's been gone for over 40 years 😢 RIP 🙏 MARTY
The Bed Sitting Room, with Spike Milligan is a great movie. The darkest post nuclear war movie ever. Marty brought a lot of joy to a lot of people, and that's the best legacy.
6 packs per day, but it was his diet of eggs that killed him.
Marty died of heart attack brought on by shellfish poisoning. He visited a small offshore island during shooting of Yellowbeard and there was a small informal eatery.
Yes, as a Graves disease patient, eating shellfish was a health hazard.
Our EYE-CONIC Marty my first hero of comedy. The fun they must of had together Gean, Mell, an Marty,. Bless them all for the fun and laughter they gave us all 😂🙏🇬🇧🇺🇸💯😁💪
I remember him well. First of all, I had NO Idea he was so young when he died. I thought he was in his 70s- very similar to finding out the brilliant Christopher Lloyd was the same age (late 40s) when he played Doc Brown. His diet didn't have much to do with his heart attack. Eggs are good for you. All the coffee and smoking are what killed him- mostly the smoking.
Eggs are good for you but you can go overboard on anything high in cholesterol, especially if you have a heart condition which he likely did from smoking.
The eggs no way. My great grandfather would eat 4eggs , buttered toast, fatback and grits every day. He lived to be 99 and he would have lived longer except he got dementia.
@@melissa2068 I have a few relatives who lived well up in their 90s that ate like that. I have a whole lot more who didn't.
I think he smoked something like 5 packs a day,whatever it was it was excessive
I had heard that Marty was a strict vegetarian since childhood.
Hyperthyroidism can cause heart issues.
Specifically, Graves Disease. The antiglobulins can attack the tissue at the back of the eye and cause swelling, which he obviously had. We don't all get that, though. . It can cause heart conditions. But it would have to run undiagnosed for a very long time to do so. It can effect the valves of the heart, which is looked for and diagnosed early on. But you can't fix stupid. Stupid is smoking which would have exacerbated the eye involvement, and caused his death. Kids, don't smoke.
So will 100 cigarettes a day.
@@tilda3316 only morons smoke cigarettes
I met him in 1974. I was 13 and told him a joke... He was such a lovely guy.
Eggs are really good for you. Dairy isn't so bad either unless you're lactose intolerant or allergic.
Quite so. Nothing at all wrong with eggs & dairy unless you have allergies/intolerance. This whole stupidity created in the 1950's by Ancel Keys & picked up by the FDA who used any excuse to promote grain & corn products has caused pretty much all of the obesity, diabetes and heart disease issues we have today. Real killers are sugars and carbohydrates (which quickly turn into sugars).
Apart from being a proven major cause of heart disease. Cholesterol and saturated fat are not healthy. Also its totally unnatural for mammals to consume dairy products post infancy, especially those from another species.
Eggs are awful for you when they are fried in bacon grease.
@@mannacler I don't care. Natural fats really aren't the bad guy the industry wants to make them out to be. Artificial fats are much worse for you but I bet you've never learned about how those fats are made or what they do to your body.
@@devonboulden2496 The only fats that I am eating are from what little non-processed meat I eat, olive oil and the avocado I eat every morning with soft-boiled eggs.
Marty Feldman was very funny and such a sweetheart 💕. Rip, Mr. Feldman. Thanks for the laughs. ❤❤❤
I remember exactly where I was the day I heard he had passed. I cried. I really loved him ❣️
Marty Feldman was never involved with Monty Python, though he did perform with most of them in other shows. Its Marty and Marty Amock were his shows which were from 1968/9 just before Python and later The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine 1971
You beat me to it. I was just about to make a post saying the same thing. Marty had no involvement with Monty Python. At the time Python started he was involved with his various Marty shows. He did appear with John Cleese, Graham Chapman and Tim Brooke-Taylor in 'At Last the 1948 Show' which was broadcast a year or two before Python started. Marty later did a series called 'The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine' for ITV which had similarities with Python. But the episodes were an hour long and always featured celebrities such as Roger Moore. Often they were American celebrities.
I stopped watching right there after the 14th mention of 'the thyroid condition'
@@a34rwlYeah, like how many times do we need to be reminded that it contributed to his bulging eyes? 🙄
Probably written by AI.
Yeah, I remember Marty's Comedy Machine show. I was a kid and thought it was the funniest thing I ever saw.
Feldman didn't play Egor, he played eyegor.
Young Frankenstein Classic
Yes! Master.....😊😅😂😮
@@frankt285 walk This Way
He's one of my favorites. Loved him in Young Frankenstein as well as everything else I've seen him in. R.I.P. .
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The bloopers/outtakes of his interaction with Madeline Kahn are just gut busting
The one sketch Marty Feldman was in that sticks out in my mind was the one where he played a man who took jet planes and running back and forth from one girl friend to another, living a double life. The sketch ended with him being very exhausted. It was from some variety show, either Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in, or maybe the Dean Martin Show. It has been so long ago, mid to late 70s. It was very hilarious.
Who researched this? Whilst he had worked with soon-to-be Pythons, it’s wrong of this video to imply he worked with Monty Python and that he was an integral part of it. Also no mention of Round The Horne, the British radio comedy show that he co-wrote with Barry Took since 1965. Whilst he didn’t take part in the performance his role as writer was invaluable. The show was extremely popular, and his absurdist humour was very evident in the shows. This show really helped to establish him as a writer and he helped to create some brilliant characters on that show which were an integral part of British comedy history Rambling Syd Rumpo, Julian and Sandy, Daphne Whitethigh, Charles and Fiona to name but some)
The video does briefly mention 'Round The Horne.'
@@colinbarron4 So brief you'd miss it you blinked. The BBC repeat the four series of Round the Horne fairly often on Radio4Extra. IMHO it's lasted better than a lot of Monty Python. Took and Feldman were both brilliant writers; and the cast (especially the sadly underrated Betty Marsden as Fiona, Julie Coolibar, and the immortal Bea Clissold) did their scripts justice. Only four series of RtH were made because Kenneth Horne, the anchor and straight man, died prematurely of a heart attack.
@@roderickjoyce6716 Thanks for the info. I did read Marty's biography some years ago.
I've seen two separate causes of death. One was eating shellfish and it caused food poisoning, the other was a heart attack due to smoking 5 packs a day.
Dr. Frankenstein: "Damn your eyes!" Igor: "Too late."
I loved him in Young Frankenstein its one of my favorite movies.
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i love how your intro is basically repeated word for word for no reason. really gets those minutes up there
As a teenager he loved to play connect 4 and battleship he was a jigsaw geek as well
his diet was 4 packs of cigarettes a day
I srill remember his guest appearance on the Muppet Show. He was not only a perfect fit as a guest, but was just as aloof and as comedic as ever. I truly believe that really should have been the final episode of the Muppet Show, as it also had the muppets from Sesame Street in the closing act, then he would have been known for just one more event in his career. I wonder if they ever finished his last movie he was in which was Yellow Beard? It looked promising.
Yellowbeard was finished. kzhead.info/sun/ZrZ8Zp2jnJN6eqc/bejne.htmlsi=kVv4SSKVWj6OXL2C
Up there as the funniest British comedian ever👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍Had me with tears running down my face as a child ....July 8 1934-----December 2 1982..🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
That photo of him with the Muppets at 4:50 really nails his persona. He was like a human Muppet.
He was never a Python. He co-wrote and starred in the sketch "The 4 Yorkshiremen" in which the wealthy participants try to outdo each other with their recollections of the poverty of their respective childhoods. The sketch was broadcast in an episode of "At Last the 1948 Show" but because the original 4 included John Cleese and Graham Chapman, both future Pythons, it is often wrongly taken to be a Python sketch despite the inclusion of Tim Brooke-Taylor and Marty Feldman.
Marty was a veryy talented jazz drummer 🏴✌️
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Diet? Nobody dies of eating eggs and dairy. But smoking certainly may cause a heart attack. This video presents a mediocre text in general.
Does anyone remember the Marty Feldman Show
This was a well written essay, thank you.
A LEGENDARY PRODUCT OF WHAT HE SAW AN ADMIRED COMEDIAN LEGENDS THEMSELVES . ADAPTING FROM THE HIP , AN ADDING HIS OWN. LOVED HIS WORK AN MISS HIM 👏😬
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Figures of history entertainment etc. life to death facts . Thanks again
Smoking killed this man, not eggs and dairy.
I remember he had a shortlived show when I was a kid sometime in the early 70s, the Marty Feldman Comedy hour. I always laughed. He was great.
I remember in 1971 when I was 11, mom would let me stay up late to watch his show...it was my favorite. He was a genius.
Brilliant part of my youth! Watched all his shows when I could. My parents didn't understand a bit of it!
@2:40," No, it's pronounced "I-gor".
yep 😂
My grandfather worked for your grandfather, but the rates have gone up
He was brilliant ❤❤❤😂😂
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Young Frankenstein is my clearest memory of a movie involving Marty.
MARTY: Curse those eggs - I wish I'd never started with 'em!
Thankful to have lived through, at least some of, the Marty era. To have him pop up as a character was always great. I always felt some vague wisp of a connection to Buster, so I'm happy to have just learned it was deliberate.
His role in young Frankenstein was priceless!!!!!
My favorite line of his wasn't even spoken. In the movie "Silent Movie", his line was "Care to dance with a Mild-Mannered pervert?"
Always brung it on stage and screen! Bravo! Our current perfect looking movie, tv and music world is not normal.
They mention he is a book collector. I wonder if he has finally found Rarnaby Budge by the famous Dutch author Charles Dikkens?
Addressing the title: 6:31 "He [Mel Brooks] said that Marty "sometimes smoked a half carton (six packs) of cigarettes daily, drank copious amounts of black coffee, and ate a diet rich in eggs and dairy products." "
A very talented, unique and funny man. Gone way too soon. God rest his soul. ❤
Even if Marty didn't have the problem with his eyes,. I believe that he would have been a very successful comedian all the same. He was born for it. Love you Marty Rest in peace.
Young Frankenstein is classic. Someone with Graves' opthalmopathy is recommended to NOT SMOKE and smoking 5/6 packs of cigarettes a day (which Feldman was known to have done), could not have been good for his health (or for anyone). For people with hyperthyroidism it's recommended to monitor iodine levels (seaweed/seafood), and in alternative medicine circles eliminating dairy is suggested (unless it's A1 casein-free or possibly raw dairy foods). Eggs don't seem to have been an issue with those conditions, and these days even the Mayo Clinic says eating 7 Eggs a week won't increase heart disease risks for most people (and can even prevent certain types of strokes). Plus, one can have heart palpitations with thyroid conditions and if that was the case, excess caffeine consumption (which he also did) wasn't helping. So, I don't think the dairy and Eggs were the top causes of Mr. Feldman's demise (though it seems like the dairy didn't help him get healthier as far as his Graves' went). Gone WAY too soon! ❤☮🌎
When it comes to Mr Feldman's career the eyes have it..
I remember Marty Friedman. He was a great guitar player. I didn't know he died though.
His focus on the obsession of golfers to have to hit the ball from wherever it last landed. Which in Marty’s case was the top of a train.
Marty Feldman was one of the funniest comics I had ever known of😂
Young Frankenstein, There were others but this one hit the spot. RIP Marty, thanks for the laughs.
If he had hyperthyroidism, his diet should have been high in iodine (from fish, mostly) and he wouldn't have had to die so soon. I liked anything he had a role in. I met an actor once at a "Godspell" touring company show who reminded me of Marty, and when I told him of the resemblance, he said he was honored to be compared to him.
Just because someone is GOOD does NOT mean that they are "a pioneer," "unique," "iconic," "enduring," "legendary," ... this is an absolutely OVER THE TOP account.
Go sit yourself down and be quiet! The adults are talking!
First thing I saw him in was Young Frankenstein and I loved him from that moment on. I think I’ve seen every movie of his. He was truly a loss to comedy, and you could tell from his face in Yellowbeard that he wasn’t feeling 100%. I’m sorry he passed and I pray God rests him easy.
I am a lover of British comedy since I was young and I am still a very avid fan of Round the Horne, in particular Julian & Sandy. His autobiography, Eye Marty, is also an excellent read.
What a gift to humanity. He still is gifting us. He should have won a oscar for young frankenstein. Well, never mind the Oscars are really lame anyway.
His role in _Young Frankenstein_ was pronounced "EYE-gor", not "EE-gor".
part of my tv childhood , thought him so funny when i was a child . Miss him .
He was quite a talent & I remember him fondly. Though he played so many funny & goofy characters, he was hansdome & stylish!
Eggs and dairy are great but smoking not so much.
I always think of "You take the blonde and I'll take the one in the turban" and laugh! He was so darn funny! RIP Marty!
Marty on The Muppet Show The Arabian Nights episode, it was the only one I had, on vhs, I didn't even speak english at the time, but I absolutely loved it. I didn't realise until now that by that time he had already been dead for a couple of years 💔
On the gameshow "Hollywood Squares", Mr. Feldman was given the question "Is it true that liars can't look you in the eye?" He paused to allow the laughter to die down, then answered "I'm looking *someone* in the eye!" Brilliant man, gone too soon.
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"The Last Remake of Beau Geste" was where i first saw him
The curse of filming in Mexico. First, Marty Feldman... then John Candy. RIP to them both.
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Marty lived his life, albeit short, his way. Respect.
I also understand that doctors told him he could correct his thyroid problem (which is associated with heart trouble) by taking medicine or corrected it permanently with either radioactive iodine or surgery. When told that this would also correct his bulgy eyes, he refused the treatment because he considered them part of his comedic image.
I wonder if he could read both page's of the book at the same time... All jokes aside, this man was iconic and I love him, rip🖤
I could see Marty Feldman playing flute on one leg. Just living in the past!
Yes, Ian Anderson was also a member of Monty Python and had bulging eyes.
Oh...did I mention his bulging eyes were due to his thyroid problems but he embraced them as part of his comedic persona..?
Exactly! Only mentioned it 5 times😂
Marty did not appear in Monty Python - otherwise most interesting
He contributed via writing!
Thank you -I was unaware of this - I remember as a small child watching his television show - around 1970 -I would have been six years old - I loved it -sadly as yet it has not been repeated - Let us hope that one day it will be or released on DVD -A very funny and clever comedy actor @@patriciawhite619
This is Corey Feldmans Dad
6 packs a day would end up something like 1 cigarette every 6 minutes of every waking hour, it's amazing a human can live through even one day of that.
Abbey-Normal
🧠
Very sad he was a class funny comic actor
his diet didn't kill him but his smoking certainly DID
I remember him most from Young Frankenstein and yellow beard I love his character he was funny he was entertaining he died too soon.
Did he ever preform with Benny Hill? Two would be great together
No, I'm afraid.
I remember someone recorded a spoof of kim carnes "Betty Davis Eyes" called "Marty Feldman Eyes" and he didnt think very highly of it. I guess they thought it ok because of his deprecating sense of humor
What happens when you smoke 120 cancer sticks a day for decades. That's a better title for this. That's insane. 1 every 6 minutes for twelve hours a day.
He was I-Gor in Young Frankenstein I-Gor! Lol My old man was up to 4 packs of Marlboro Reds a day and it definitely took his life.
Always loved him
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Egg's aren't bad! Love Marty & I'm glad he didn't let his appearance stop him otherwise we'd of never known him! My oldest daughter loves Young Frankenstein! I like pretty much anything he did.
I nearly died from laughing from watching him in young Frankenstein, absolute brilliant and funny film “ ab- be-normal “
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