Comedian Freddie Roman had died. His daughter confirmed that the 85-year-old died of a heart attack in at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida, His booking agent and friend Alison Chaplin confirmed such to the Associated Press. Roman was long a part of the Friars Club roasts and was a fixture in big nightclubs, and had a lengthy career in comedy. He was lauded as a reliable old-time joke-teller who performed across Las Vegas and other big cities, Deadline reports. Roman was also a participant in Comedy Central roasts, taking jabs at icons like Jerry Stiller, Hugh Hefner, Drew Carey, Rob Reiner and Chevy Chase.
He grew up in New York City. One of his earliest gigs was as an emcee at the Crystal Spring Hotel in the Catskills when he was just 15. The venue was owned by his uncle and grandfather. Roman worked in the area for a time doing similar jobs before leaving show business to work for his father’s shoe store. Of course, it didn’t last. He then returned to comedy.
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The comedian appeared in movies such as Welcome to Kutsher’s: The Last Catskills Resort, The Last Laugh, Bittersweet Place, Christ in the City, Finding North, and Sweet Lorraine. He also appeared in television programs, including Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Tonight Show, and Red Oaks on Amazon. Roman was additionally part of the successful Broadway show Catskills on Broadway in its 2003 run.
Though he loved the Catskills, he told Atlantic City Weekly in 2011 that his most beloved job was opening for Frank Sinatra. He was given the job when Sinatra’s regular opening comedian Tom Dreesen wasn’t available. Roman heard about the opportunity on a layover in Chicago, exited the plane, and boarded another for Philadelphia to make the show in Atlantic City with just a few hours to spare. After his opening, he left the stage to see Sinatra laughing. Sinatra even called him back for another bow.
“Frank hugged me, and I saw my wife and daughter and they were crying,” Roman said at the time. “It was unbelievable. … Nothing ever topped working with Sinatra.”
