Legendary Comedian Louie Anderson Dead at 68 After Cancer Battle, Hollywood Pays Tribute

The "Baskets" star's death came just a few days after his rep told TMZ that he was battling diffuse large B-cell lymphoma -- a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma -- and was being treated in a hospital in Las Vegas. However, it's unknown when Anderson was diagnosed with the aggressive form of cancer.

The comic, author, stage and screen actor and game show host's career spanned over three decades, beginning in the 1980s when he made his network debut on "The Tonight Show" in 1984.

In addition to his iconic stand-up career, which included several solo specials, Anderson had a slew of acting credits, in both television and film. He starred in movies, such as 1998's "Coming to America" and the 2021 sequel, and TV shows like his animated series, "Life with Louie," his short-lived sitcom, "The Louie Show," and the FX comedy, "Baskets," which earned him the 2016 Emmy for his role of Christine Baskets.

Meanwhile, Anderson was also the host of "Family Feud" from 1999 to 2002. He was also a best-selling author, writing books such as 1989's "Dear Dad -- Letters from an Adult Child," 1993's" "Good­bye Jumbo…Hello Cruel World" and "Hey Mom: Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too," which was released in 2018.

The beloved comedian -- who was one of 11 children -- is survived by his two sisters, Lisa and Shanna Anderson.

Following the news of Anderson's passing, Hollywood and beyond took to social media to pay tribute to the icon.

Taking to Twitter, fellow comedian Gilbert Gottfried shared a photo of himself, Anderson as well as the late Bob Saget, who passed away earlier this month. "This photo is very sad now. RIP Bob Saget and RIP Louie Anderson," he wrote. "Both good friends that will be missed."

Similarly, Henry Winkler also tweeted, writing, "Your generosity of spirit will cover the world from above .. we are so lucky you were on earth for a moment , spreading your humor all over like bars of living gold .. Good Bye."

Adam Sandler wrote, "Damn. Such a funny great guy. Made us all laugh so much. Loved him. Condolences to his whole family." Kathy Griffin called Anderson, "A singular comic. No one in comedy did what he did."

Actress Viola Davis tweeted, "RIP Louie Anderson! You were as gracious and kind as you were funny. Rest well!! Keep 'em laughing in Heaven," while Emily Osment wrote, "RIP Louie Anderson. I spent so many hours listening to you on road trips and on sad days when I needed to laugh. I hope you're eating pickled eggs somewhere pretty, I'm grateful to always have your humor a few clicks away."

Meanwhile, FX, the network on which "Baskets" aired, issued a lengthy statement in the wake of Anderson's death, per PEOPLE. "We are so deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Louie Anderson. For four wonderful seasons, Louie graced us and fans of Baskets with a bravura performance as Christine Baskets, for which he deservedly was recognized by his peers with the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series."

The statement continued, "It was a risky role for him and he embraced it with a fearlessness and joy that demonstrated his brilliance as an artist. He truly cared about his craft and was a true professional in every sense. Our hearts go out to his loved ones and his Baskets family – Zach Galifianakis, Jonathan Krisel and Martha Kelly and all the cast and crew. He will be missed by us all but never forgotten and always bring a smile to our faces."

Check out how stars are honoring Anderson in the tweets, below. TooFab will be updating this post as celebrities share more tributes.