NEW YORK — The actor who plays the parrot Iago in Broadway’s “Aladdin” remembered the magic of meeting Gilbert Gottfried as the Disney stage musical dedicated Tuesday night’s performance to the late comedian.
Gottfried’s family announced earlier Tuesday that the longtime entertainer, who voiced Iago in 1992′s animated “Aladdin” movie, died at age 67 after “a long illness.”
“I think one of the main reasons this character is who he is is because of what Gilbert brought to the animated film: his comedy, and that voice,” actor Don Darryl Rivera said in Tuesday’s tribute, which took place during the curtain call following the “Aladdin” show at the New Amsterdam Theatre.
Rivera remembered Gottfried as being “really kind and sweet and surprisingly soft-spoken.”
“The first time I met Gilbert was on this very stage,” Rivera said. “The curtain had just come down, and up comes Gilbert from the wings.
“He put his arm around me and we snapped a few photos, but then I pulled out this: the ‘Aladdin’ VHS,” he continued. “And his eyes lit up like it was the magic lamp itself. He signed it for me, and it’s still one of my most treasured possessions.”
Gottfried, who was born in Brooklyn, was also known for his stand-up comedy, his time as a “Saturday Night Live” cast member, and for his voice roles that included the Aflac Duck.
“On behalf of the entire company here at ‘Aladdin,’ Mr. Gottfried, thank you for the laughs,” Rivera concluded his tribute, earning a big cheer from the crowd.
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