LOS ANGELES - Dick Martin, the zany half of the comedy team whose "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" took television by storm in the 1960s, died Saturday night. He was 86.
Martin, who went on to become one of television's busiest directors after splitting with Rowan in the late 1970s, succumbed to respiratory complications at a hospital in Santa Monica, Calif., family spokesman Barry Greenberg said.
Rowan and Martin teamed up after meeting in 1952 and honed their comedy act in nightclubs.
"Laugh-In," which debuted in January 1968, was unlike any comedy-variety show before it. NBC put the program on opposite "The Lucy Show" and "Gunsmoke," two mega-hits, but by its eighth show, "Laugh-In" was the No. 1 show in the country. It ran until 1973.
Rather than relying on a series of tightly scripted song-and-dance segments, "Laugh-In" offered a steady, almost stream-of-consciousness run of jokes, political satire and madhouse antics from a cast of talented young actors and comedians that included Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin, Ruth Buzzi, Arte Johnson, Henry Gibson, Jo Anne Worley and announcer Gary Owens. The show made "Sock it to me!" and "You bet your sweet bippy!" national catch phrases.
Martin went on direct "The Bob Newhart Show" and other TV programs.
Rowan, who retired to France, died of cancer in 1987. Martin, who was married twice, had two sons, Richard and Cary.
SOURCE I used to love Laugh-In as a kid. I actually have an LP of the show.
Wonder what he looked like as a baby, did he scare his mom and the doctor? 
thanks for that...oh dear lord he takes himself seriously 
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