Godfrey Cambridge

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Godfrey MacArthur Cambridge (February 26, 1933 - November 29, 1976) was an American comedian and actor, who was especially popular in the late 1960s and early 1970's as a regular guest on The Merv Griffin Show and other talk shows. He had originally received a scholarship to study medicine but had decided on a career in acting instead.

Memorable film roles include Watermelon Man where he plays the lead character, a white bigot who one day wakes up and discovers his skin color has changed to black, and The President's Analyst, where he plays a depressed CIA agent. He perhaps reached his biggest audience in a series of very amusing television commercials for Jockey brand underwear.

In addition to these cinematic roles Cambridge is also remembered for his starring role in Beware! The Blob, a sequel to the The Blob, as well as appearances on numerous syndicated television programs, including Car 54 Where Are You ("The Curse of the Snitkins"), The Dick Van Dyke Show ("The Man From My Uncle"), and I Spy ("Court of the Lion").

Cambridge also starred in a number of theatrical roles, both on and off-Broadway, including his Broadway debut in Nature's Way-in 1951-as well as roles in The Blacks-a performance that earned him an Obie award in 1961-and a stock version of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum four years later.

Cambridge was also well-known as a standup comedian who made appearances on The Tonight Show, as well as other popular variety and talk shows-and whose routine relied upon the biting sarcasm and trenchant topical humor that was common in comedic circles at the time.

Cambridge died of a heart attack while on the set of the movie Victory at Entebbe in which he was scheduled to portray Idi Amin. It is possible that the often overweight Cambridge's habit of yo-yo dieting contributed to his early demise. His death was preceded by a rapid weight loss.