Patti Deutsch obit

Patti Deutsch, Nasally Comedienne on ‘Laugh-In’ and ‘Match Game,’ Dies at 73

She worked with Fred Willard as a member of the comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company and was a prolific voiceover artist. 

She was not on the list.

Patti Deutsch, the witty comedian and voiceover artist with the nasally delivery who was a regular on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and on game shows like Match Game and Tattletales, has died. She was 73.

Deutsch died Wednesday after a long battle with cancer, her family announced.

Deutsch came to fame as a member of the 1960s-’70s improvisational comedy group Ace Trucking Company, which also featured Fred Willard, Bill “You Can Call Me Ray” Saluga, Michael Mislove and George Memmoli.

She and the troupe appeared dozens of times on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson, on other talk shows and on ABC’s This Is Tom Jones, and they recorded an album of improvised sketches for RCA.

Deutsch joined NBC’s Laugh-In for its sixth and final season (1972-73) and had a regular role on the short-lived NBC comedy Grandpa Goes to Washington, starring Jack Albertson.

Her whiny tone was instantly recognizable on such animated TV shows as The Angry Beavers, Steven Bochco’s Capitol Critters, The Wild Thornberrys and The Smurfs and in the films Jetsons: The Movie (1990), Tarzan (1999), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) and Monsters, Inc. (2001).

Deutsch also appeared on hundreds of commercials in which she squeezed the Charmin with Mr. Whipple or shared a cup of Folgers coffee with Mrs. Olson.

Born in Pittsburgh on Dec. 16, 1943, Deutsch attended Bennington College, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Texas at Austin and USC, all in four years, her family noted.

Early in her career, she starred on stage in local productions of Neil Simon’s California Suite and worked alongside Sid Caesar during an engagement at the Rainbow Grill in New York.

Deutsch was often on Match Game — usually in the seat on the right in the bottom row — and, with her husband, screenwriter Donald Ross, on Tattletales, the Bert Convy-hosted game that featured married couples.

“Deutsch was certainly the weirdest of the weird. She was also awesome,” Chris Morgan wrote of her work on the show. (He ranks her No. 3 on his list of the “Ten Best ‘70s Match Game Celebrity Panelists,” trailing only Charles Nelson Reilly and Richard Dawson).

“She had a wonderful way with words and made good use of it. … She coined the euphemism ‘upper frontals’ for breasts, which is more than most can say.”

Her credits also include Mr. Mom (1983) and the TV shows She’s the Sheriff and Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23.

In addition to her husband, survivors include children Max, Lee and Alexis, daughters-in-law Daphne, Jennifer and Linda, grandchildren Violet, Xander and Sam and cousin Joshua.

Actress

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2008

 

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Kronk's New Groove (2005)

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2005

 

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As Told by Ginger

6.9

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2004

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Time Squad (2001)

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2002

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Monsters, Inc.

8.1

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2001

 

The Wild Thornberrys: The Origin of Donnie (2001)

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Video

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2000

 

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The Emperor's New Groove

7.4

Waitress (voice)

2000

 

Nick Bakay and Richard Steven Horvitz in The Angry Beavers (1997)

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7.2

TV Series

Trixie

Beaver Squadron

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1998–2000

3 episodes

 

Lacey Chabert, David Eccles, Flea, and Tom Kane in The Wild Thornberrys (1998)

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6.6

TV Series

Clan Hyena

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1999

1 episode

 

Minnie Driver, Tony Goldwyn, Wayne Knight, and Rosie O'Donnell in Tarzan (1999)

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7.3

Tantor's Mother (voice)

1999

 

Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever (1998)

Roxanne's Best Christmas Ever

5.4

Short

1998

 

Brad Garrett, Joe Alaskey, Jess Harnell, Joe Nipote, and Malachi Pearson in The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper (1996)

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5.8

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(voice)

1997

1 episode

 

Santo Bugito (1995)

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7.1

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Betty Wolfenspider (voice)

1995

1 episode

 

Life with Louie (1994)

Life with Louie

8.3

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Sylvia (voice)

1995

1 episode

 

Bobby's World (1990)

Bobby's World

7.2

TV Series

(voice)

1994

1 episode

 

Marilyn Kentz and Caryl Kristensen in The Mommies (1993)

The Mommies

5.5

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Mrs. Drummond

1994

1 episode

 

Neil Patrick Harris, Bobcat Goldthwait, Charlie Adler, Jennifer Darling, and Patti Deutsch in Capitol Critters (1992)

Capitol Critters

6.4

TV Series

Trixie (voice)

1992

13 episodes

 

Darkwing Duck (1991)

Darkwing Duck

7.6

TV Series

Poetry Reader

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1991

1 episode

 

Mel Blanc, Brad Garrett, Patti Deutsch, Dana Hill, Steve McClintock, Don Messick, George O'Hanlon, Ronnie Schell, Penny Singleton, Russi Taylor, Tiffany, Jean Vander Pyl, Frank Welker, and Patric Zimmerman in Jetsons: The Movie (1990)

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5.5

Lucy 2 (voice)

1990

 

Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd in Moonlighting (1985)

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7.6

TV Series

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1989

1 episode

 

Suzanne Somers in She's the Sheriff (1987)

She's the Sheriff

4.0

TV Series

1987

1 episode

 

Marie Cole, Aaron Lohr, Vonetta McGee, Tyren Perry, Jimmie 'JJ' Walker, and Larry O. Williams Jr. in Bustin' Loose (1987)

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6.7

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1987

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7.2

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1984–1986

7 episodes

 

Mr. Mom (1983)

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6.6

Deli Girl

1983

 

New Friends (1981)

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6.3

Short

(voice)

1981

 

A Cry for Love (1980)

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6.7

TV Movie

1980

 

Grandpa Goes to Washington (1978)

Grandpa Goes to Washington

7.1

TV Series

Patti

1978–1979

10 episodes

 

Shakespeare Loves Rembrandt

TV Movie

1974

 

Slither

6.7

TV Movie

Ruthie

1974

 

Sally Field in The Girl with Something Extra (1973)

The Girl with Something Extra

6.6

TV Series

Sudy

1973

1 episode

 

Big Daddy

TV Movie

1973

 

Dick Martin and Dan Rowan in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)

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8.0

TV Series

Regular Performer

Undrea S. Jackson

Meg Crackin ...

1972–1973

22 episodes

 

Teri Garr and Penny Marshall in Safeguard: Beige Deodorant and Antibacterial Soap Commercial (1972)

Safeguard: Beige Deodorant and Antibacterial Soap Commercial

Video

Cab Driver (uncredited)

1972

 

The John Byner Comedy Hour (1972)

The John Byner Comedy Hour

7.8

TV Series

1972

 

Self

2009 Game Show Awards (2009)

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5.8

TV Special

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2009

 

The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments (2005)

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7.8

TV Mini Series

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2005

 

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Betsy Ross

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1983

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Richard Dawson, Fannie Flagg, Johnny Olson, Gene Rayburn, Charles Nelson Reilly, Brett Somers, and Betty White in Match Game PM (1975)

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7.9

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1975–1980

23 episodes

 

Beat the Clock (1979)

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6.8

TV Series

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1979

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Joyce Bulifant, Richard Dawson, Patti Deutsch, Fannie Flagg, Elaine Joyce, Dick Martin, Johnny Olson, Gene Rayburn, Charles Nelson Reilly, Nipsey Russell, Brett Somers, Marcia Wallace, and Betty White in Match Game (1973)

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8.3

TV Series

Self - Panelist

1973–1979

213 episodes

 

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7.8

TV Series

Self

1977

1 episode

 

Tattletales (1974)

Tattletales

7.0

TV Series

Self

1974–1977

49 episodes

 

Password (1961)

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7.4

TV Series

Self

1974

4 episodes

 

The Midnight Special (1972)

The Midnight Special

8.5

TV Series

Self - member of 'Ace Trucking Company'

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1973–1974

3 episodes

 

Celebrity Sweepstakes (1974)

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5.5

TV Series

Self

1974

1 episode

 

Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

8.5

TV Series

Self

1972–1973

7 episodes

 

The Vin Scully Show (1973)

The Vin Scully Show

8.0

TV Series

Self

1973

1 episode

 

Paul Lynde in Hollywood Squares (1965)

Hollywood Squares

6.8

TV Series

Self - Panelist

1972

1 episode

 

The John Byner Comedy Hour (1972)

The John Byner Comedy Hour

7.8

TV Series

Self

1972

4 episodes

 

Dynamite Chicken (1971)

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4.9

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1971

 

Tom Jones in This Is Tom Jones (1969)

This Is Tom Jones

7.7

TV Series

Various

Self - Ace Trucking Company

1970–1971

2 episodes

 

Merv Griffin in The Merv Griffin Show (1962)

The Merv Griffin Show

6.6

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Self

1968–1969

9 episodes

 

Mike Douglas in The Mike Douglas Show (1961)

The Mike Douglas Show

7.1

TV Series

Self

1969

1 episode

 

Arlene Francis and Soupy Sales in What's My Line? (1968)

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7.0

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1968

5 episodes

 

The Dick Cavett Show (1968)

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8.3

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1968

2 episodes

 

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2006

 

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8.1

TV Mini Series

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2005

1 episode