Before winning multiple Emmy awards, writing four books, hosting the game show Family Feud and releasing many sidesplitting stand-up specials, comedian Louie Anderson worked as a counselor for troubled youth in Minnesota. Both his first career choice and eventual destiny in entertainment make sense for the hilarious but always empathetic personality who grew up with ten brothers and sisters in the Twin Cities.

After coming in first at the 1981 Midwest Comedy Competition, Anderson began writing for iconic violin-playing comedian Henny Youngman.

Three years later, Anderson made his film debut with a tiny role as a taxi driver in Cloak & Dagger, starring Dabney Coleman and E.T.’s Henry Thomas. More importantly for his career, Anderson also performed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson that same year.

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Next came a guest spot in an episode of Remington Steele and small but memorable roles in movies like Quicksilver, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Coming to America. Anderson reprised his character from the Eddie Murphy classic, Maurice, in both the recent sequel Coming 2 America and the BET series Twenties.

In 1989, Anderson published his first book Dear Dad: Letters from an Adult Child. In it, he reminisces on his childhood through angry, heartfelt and humorous letters to his alcoholic father.

In 1994, Anderson created a lighter take on his turbulent childhood. The Saturday morning cartoon Life with Louie followed a young boy with ten siblings growing up in the Midwest. He voiced both the father character and his childhood self. The show ran for three seasons and Anderson picked up two Daytime Emmy Awards for his work.

Anderson then hosted Family Feud and appeared in shows like Touched by an Angel, Ally McBeal, and Nash Bridges.

From 2016-2019, Anderson portrayed Christine, the mother of twins Chip and Dale played by Zack Galifianakis in the acclaimed series Baskets. Anderson was nominated three times and won one Primetime Emmy Award for his performance.

Louie Anderson’s other books include Goodbye Jumbo… Hello Cruel World, The F Word: How to Survive Your Family and Hey Mom. He was 68 years old.