Garry Shandling, Famous 'Larry Sanders Show' Comedian, Dies at 66

Comedian Garry Shandling passed away Thursday (March 24) in Los Angeles at 66 years old, NBC reports.

Shandling, known best as the eponymous character on The Larry Sanders Show, suffered from a sudden heart attack Thursday and was taken to St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica at 10:40 a.m. TMZ reports Shandling was alive when he arrived at the hospital but later passed away.

His death was sudden. Shandling was not ill, according to NBC, so those close to the actor are in shock.

Known for his quick wit, Shandling got his start in Hollywood selling sitcom scripts and eventually started guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. This led to It's Garry Shandling's Show on Showtime, which ran from 1986 to 1990 and later The Larry Sanders Show. The latter debuted in 1992, wrapped six years later and racked up 18 Emmy nominations (and one win) in the process.

Shandling also dabbled in film, appearing in Mixed Nuts (1994), Zoolander (2001) and most recently Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).

Shandling was never married and didn't have children. However, he lived with his former partner Linda Doucett from 1987 to 1994.

His celebrity friends, including Kathy Griffin, have taken to social media to express their grief:

He will be missed.