Comedian and former Late Show host John Mulrooney dies at 67

January 5, 2026 by Nadia

According to Albany’s Times Union, Mulrooney died at his home in Coxsackie, New York, on December 29, 2025. His cause of death was not “immediately available,” the outlet reported. Friends say the loss was completely unexpected.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Mulrooney came up through the gritty, competitive comedy scene of the early 1980s, cutting his teeth at legendary clubs like Dangerfield’s and Sheepshead Bay before making his mark in Hollywood at The Improv and The Laugh Factory. By the late ’80s, he had become a familiar face on television — most notably in 1987, when he briefly replaced Joan Rivers as host of The Late Show.

His career spanned nearly every corner of entertainment. Mulrooney appeared on shows including Comic Strip Live, Comedy Tonight, Great Balls of Fire!, An Evening at the Improv, and Andrew Dice Clay and His Gang Live! The Valentine’s Day Massacre. He competed on Star Search and The New Hollywood Squares, guest-starred on Ellen and The Good Life, and even hosted Fox’s King of the Mountain and The Pat Sajak Show. He also created and starred in the short-lived Comedy Central sitcom Midtown North. Continue reading…