Perry Kurtz dead at 73: AGT comic passes away in hit-and-run (2024)

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Comedian Perry Kurtz has died aged 73 after he was struck by a car in a hit-and-run on Thursday evening.

Kurtz - who had appeared on America's Got Talent and The Tonight Show with Jay Lenowas travelling between gigs when he was killed - his daughter Zelda Velazquez confirmed in a heartbreaking social media post.

TMZ have confirmed that Kurtz was killed in Tarzana, LA after acollision around 11:30pm on Thursday involving a gray Honda Civic.

TheLos AngelesFire Department pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old suspect - named as Naithon James - on suspicion of felony hit-and-run causing death, per FOXLA.

Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department said Kurtz was crossing the street at Ventura Boulevard and Melvin Avenue, when a car driven by the teen hit him.

Kurtz was identified as the victim on Friday morning.

James was arrested after a witness contacted authorities an hour after the crash due to seeing the suspect's vehicle 'oddly parked with a broken windshield.'

The vehicle matched the description of the car caught on security cameras running over Kurtz.

Kurtz appeared on season 8 of America's Got Talent in 2006 where he rapped about the judges - but received three Nos.

In 2018 he appeared on James Corden's The Late Late Show where he shocked the audience by playing an instrument with his tongue.

In his final days Kurtz was looking forward to the future and even planned to audition for AGT again.

A source told DailyMail.com: 'This past Tuesday while he was out doing Karaoke, he was talking about how he was looking forward to audition for AGT again. He was looking forward to doing stand up and also had a few shows lined up at senior communities in the next few months.

'He would always free style rap and dance and perform over Billie Eilish's Bad Guy track during karaoke and not sing the actual lyrics and add his humor that would always delve into being a little raunchy but always funny

'He had stories for days about hanging out and being friends with Robin Williams, he was always chasing his next career goal and to make people laugh and be on TV, though tragic the way he went, he would be loving everyone talking about him right now.

'The backdrop of his phone had a picture of his daughter, and every time you'd talk to him he would always ask you how you were doing and always brag in a great way about his daughter and what she was getting into, he really loved being a dad.

Kurtz began his career in the 1970s with gigs at comedy clubs in LA and New York City.

He had a close friendship with Robin Williams, who he opened for - before the star's death in 2014.

Kurtz performed his final show in Los Angeles this week - with a video of his performance posted to his account on Thursday - hours before his death.

His agent, Dante Rusciolelli paid tribute to Kurtz in a statement to the New York Post, saying: 'Golden Artists Entertainment and myself are personally devastated by this news. Perry was not only a client, he’s been my friend since 1987.

'He has been a staple in the Los Angeles comedy community for decades and will be greatly missed. Our prayers are with his family.'

Jay Leno