Farewell, Larry "Bud"

A national treasure vanished just two days ago - Calvert DeForest, AKA Larry "Bud" Melman as seen for 11 years on "Late Night With David Letterman" , died Monday in a Long Island hospital after a long illness. He was 85 years young. He had last appeared on The Late Show in 2002, in honor of his 81st birthday.

"It (The Melman character) was the greatest thing that had happened in my life," said DeForest. But since the Melman moniker was seen as NBC's intellectual property, he appeared under his own name on "Late Show With David Letterman" after it debuted on CBS in 1993.

By then he had starred as Larry "Bud" Melman in his own home video, "Couch Potato Workout," as well as a long list of movies and TV shows. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Bay Ridge, DeForest was a lifelong Broadway, opera and film devotee.

"Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself-a genuine, modest and nice man," said David Letterman said in a statement issued today. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him." Tonight's edition of "Late Show" was taped Monday, before news of the death had been received, but I'm sure that Dave will honor him tomorrow.

Thank you, Calvert, for all of the laughs you gave us over the years. For all of the times when we'd had a bad day, then watched you at work and forgot about it all for awhile. . .we're truly grateful.