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Louie Anderson, comedian and 'Baskets' actor, dies at 68

Louie Anderson died Friday after a battle with cancer. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI
1 of 4 | Louie Anderson died Friday after a battle with cancer. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Comedian and Baskets actor Louis Anderson has died.

Anderson's rep confirmed to Variety that Anderson died Friday in Las Vegas after a battle with cancer.

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Prior to his death, Anderson was diagnosed with a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and was being treated at a Las Vegas hospital, his publicist told The Hollywood Reporter.

TMZ said Anderson was battling diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Anderson was born in March 1953 in St. Paul, Minn., and made his TV debut as a stand-up comedian on The Tonight Show in 1984. He continued to perform and was named one of "100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time" by Comedy Central in 2004.

As an actor, Anderson was best known for playing Christine Baskets on the FX comedy series Baskets, which also starred Zach Galifianakis and Martha Kelly. Anderson was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series three times for the role, winning in 2016.

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Anita Pointer of the Grammy-winning Pointer Sisters stands with Andy Madadian (C) and La Toya Jackson (L) as Madadian is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020. Pointer, who performed alongside her sisters June and Ruth, died at the age of 74 on December 31 following a battle with cancer. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

His other roles included a flower delivery man in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Maurice in Coming to America and its sequel, Coming 2 America. More recently, Anderson appeared on the shows Search Party and Twenties.

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In addition, Anderson co-created the animated series Life with Louie.

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