Legendary comedian, writer, and actor Bob Einstein, best known for his recurring failed stuntman character Super Dave Osbourne and playing Curb Your Enthusiasm‘s Marty Funkhouser, passed away today at the age of 76. Einstein began his comedy career back in the 1960s working as a writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and afterwards for The Sonny and Cher Show and Van Dyke and Company. But for a couple of generations of TV comedy fans at least, he may best be remembered as Funkhouser, Larry David’s perfect foil on Curb. Funkhouser is a candidate for Curb‘s most valuable player—perpetually sad-eyed and furious at his friend Larry for his chronic inconsiderateness, but always loyal and apt to crack a perverse joke or two himself from time to time, or corroborate Larry and Jeff’s warped logic over lunch.
Einstein’s death brought one of Funkhouser’s biggest celebrity fans out of the woodwork: Radiohead multi-instrumentalist and composer Jonny Greenwood. Greenwood posted to Twitter that he “was Marty Funkhouser on the last two Radiohead tours in tribute to his beautifully pitched performance.” The guitarist went onto rhapsodized about Einstein’s abilities: “So subtle. And to think it was all improvised.”
Greenwood shared about his time using the name Marty Funkhouser to check into hotels are the most uncharacteristically Radiohead social media missives since Thom Yorke tweeted his appreciation of Paddington Bear last month. Greenwood also shared a picture of a seemingly sincere note addressed to him as Mr. Marty Funkhouser on stationery from the Park Hyatt Chicago.
Look back to 2013 and you’ll find the guy responsible for all the transistor radio noises on OK Computer sharing an image of a dick-shaped cake, which he described as a precursor to “a curb marathon.” Assuming Yorke was Larry, who would be Jeff? See these communiques (and a couple of great Bob Einstein clips) below.
So sad to hear this. He was amazing in Curb: I was Marty Funkhouser on the last two Radiohead tours in tribute to his beautifully pitched performance. So subtle. And to think it was all improvised. https://t.co/Mu5jH4B86w
— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) January 2, 2019
— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) January 2, 2019
In homage to Larry, Jeff & Funkhauser – an erotic birthday cake from Lucie and @huntingowls. Next, a curb marathon! pic.twitter.com/UMrMCg4TG2
— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) November 8, 2013
