Jackie Mason Dead: Comedian Who Performed In Front Of Queen Elizabeth Passes Away At 93

KEY POINTS

Jackie Mason reportedly died in a Manhattan hospital on July 24
He was hospitalized for over two weeks prior his death
He is survived by his daughter, Sheba, and wife, Jyll Rosenfeld

Rabbi-turned-comedian Jackie Mason has passed away at the age of 93.

According to the funnyman’s longtime friend lawyer Raoul Felder, Mason died Saturday at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, the New York Times first reported.

Details about his passing are scarce, but the Independent has learned that the world-famous stand-up comedian had been hospitalized for over two weeks prior his death.

Mason was known for his feisty brand of comedy and sharp wit. His comedic skills landed him gigs at Catskills nightclubs to West Coast talk shows and even Broadway stages.

But before his stardom, Mason, who was born Yacov Maza, worked as a rabbi since he came from a long line of rabbis. He gave up teaching in a synagogue to fulfill his dream of becoming a comedian.

“It was unheard-of to think of anything else. But I knew, from the time I’m 12, I had to plot to get out of this, because this is not my calling,” he told the New York Times in 1988 of his decision to switch careers.

Mason went on to share his early struggles as a comic. He told the outlet that it came to a point when he “had to sell furniture to make a living — my own.”

Nevertheless, his decision proved to be the right one for him as he managed to establish a name for himself in the industry. He landed numerous gigs in the country and abroad.

He even became a regular on television in the 1960s, performing for a number of shows including “The Tonight Show,” “The Garry Moore Show,” “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” and “The Ed Sullivan Show,” among others.

The late comedian also did cameos on a number of shows, such as “30 Rock” and “The Simpsons.”

One of the highlights of his stellar career was when he performed in front of Queen Elizabeth II in 1989. He was given the opportunity to perform once again for Her Majesty the following year, as per Entertainment Weekly.

Mason is survived by his daughter, Sheba, 35, and his wife, producer Jyll Rosenfeld, according to ABC News.