'Inside the Actors Studio' host James Lipton dead at 93
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James Lipton, the revered executive producer, writer and longtime host of "Inside the Actors Studio" died on Monday at his New York City home according to reports. He was 93.
“There are so many James Lipton stories but I’m sure he would like to be remembered as someone who loved what he did and had tremendous respect for all the people he worked with," his wife, Kedakai Turner, told TMZ on Monday.
"James Lipton was a titan of the film and entertainment industry and had a profound influence on so many. I had the pleasure of working with Jim for 20 years on Bravo's first original series, his pride and joy ‘Inside the Actors Studio.’ We all enjoyed and respected his fierce passion, contributions to the craft, comprehensive research and his ability to bring the most intimate interviews ever conducted with A-list actors across generations. Bravo and NBCUniversal send our deepest condolences to Jim's wife Kedakai and all his family," Frances Berwick, President, NBCU Lifestyle Networks told Fox News in a statement.
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BEN COOPER, WESTERN FILM ICON, DEAD AT 86
"Beloved Inside the #ActorsStudio host James Lipton has died at 93. We’ll miss him dearly, but we wish him peace as he arrives at those pearly gates. 💙 #RestInPeace," Ovation TV wrote in a statement on Twitter.
“Inside the Actors Studio” ran for 23 years on Bravo and earned a stunning 20 Emmy nominations. The series won in 2013 for outstanding informational series or special. Lipton stopped hosting in September 2018 before the series was taken over by Ovation TV.
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During his time he interviewed the likes of Morgan Freeman, Sean Penn, Betty White, Ben Affleck, Al Pacino, Halle Berry, Ron Howard, Anthony Hopkins, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Faye Dunaway, just to name a few.
“It’s very gratifying to see the legacy of Inside the Actors Studio being carried forward for a new generation to appreciate and enjoy,” Lipton said in a statement in 2018. "I’m excited to see the new hosts engage with the guests and students and continue to entertain viewers in the U.S. and around the world.”
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Lipton also made appearances on “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” “Saturday Night Live,” "Arrested Development" and “Glee.” He first broke into the TV industry by writing and acting in soap operas. He spent 10 years on "The Guiding Light."
Fox News' Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report.