Kevin Meaney was a popular and larger-than-life stand-up comedian and actor born on April 23, 1956, in White Plains, New York.
As per IMDb, Meaney’s on-screen career began in 1980 when he appeared in various roles on Lenny Clarke’s Late Show. He subsequently appeared prolifically as a television comedian on the likes of An Evening at the Improv, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with David Letterman, Just for Laughs, The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, Stand-Up Stand-Up, Make Me Laugh, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
As an actor, he starred in the short-lived Uncle Buck sitcom and appeared in shows like The Jackie Thomas Show, Ned and Stacey, 30 Rock, and 2 Broke Girls. He made appearances in several movies, including Big (1988), Plump Fiction (1998), Shut Up and Kiss Me (2004), and Blood Ransom (2014), and performed in the popular musical stage show Hairspray. He also lent his voice to several iconic animated shows such as Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Garfield and Friends, Duckman, Rocko’s Modern Life, and the 1999 film The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue.
Tragically, he passed away on Oct. 21, 2016. He was only 60. But what happened?
How did Kevin Meaney die?
As per Hollywood Life, who obtained the results of Kevin Meaney’s autopsy, the star was found dead at his home in Forestburgh, New York, having suffered a massive heart attack.
Tributes poured in for Meaney, including one on X (then Twitter) from Patton Oswalt, who wrote, “Always thought Kevin Meaney was a brilliant comedian. Then we hung out in Ireland and I found out he was also a terrific person. RIP.”
Meaney led an eventful life away from performing. As per the South Florida Sun Sentinel, he spent a lot of time in hospital as a child (including after being hit by a truck) and married a woman he had just met in Las Vegas when he was 39. It was quickly annulled.
He was also married to television executive Mary Ann Halford for a decade, and they had a daughter, Kate Meaney, together. However, he came out as gay to Mary Ann (as per the Miami Herald), and they divorced soon after. He came out publicly in 2008 (as per his official website).
Kevin Meaney’s fans will always look back fondly at his career. May he rest in eternal peace.