To have a body that’s its own punch line, or a voice so instantly recognizable it coaxes a smile from the listener—many comics inhabit one or the other genre, or work the two simultaneously, like the great Eugene Pallette (if you haven’t seen The Lady Eve, you’re depriving yourselves of sublime hilarity).
Or Dom DeLuise. That girth swanned merrily through guest spots on TV, a few cinematic gems helmed by Mel Brooks (his Buddy Bizarre in Blazing Saddles is a gem) and even a drama or two (Fail Safe, Fatso). At the end it was all about the voice, a slightly fey baritone purr that enlivened everything from commercials to animated features. So inimitable—just the mention of his name conjures the whole package…and of course, a smile. R.I.P.