‘In Living Color’ TV writer Marc Wilmore is dead after COVID-19 battle

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Television writer Marc Wilmore, known for his work on In Living Color, The Simpsons and the popular Netflix animation series F is for Family, died Saturday from complications of COVID-19. 

Marc Wilmore, 57, was the younger brother of comedian and television producer Larry Wilmore. 

His elder brother paid him tribute on Twitter Sunday, saying: “My sweet sweet brother, Marc Edward Wilmore, passed away last night while battling COVID and other conditions that have had him in pain for many years. My brother was the kindest, gentlest, funniest, lion of an angel I’ve ever known. I love you little brother.” 

Marc Wilmore was a writer and final-season cast member on In Living Color, where he earned a 1992 nomination for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series. 

After the groundbreaking sketch comedy series, he wrote for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, then as a writer on The Simpsons, where he became co-executive producer and nabbed a single Emmy Award among 10 nominations. He also was a writer and voice character actor on Eddie Murphy‘s short-lived stop motion animation series, The PJs. 

Fellow Simpsons writer Tim Long wrote on Twitter, “Gutted to learn of the passing of my dear friend and colleague Marc Wilmore.” To honor his late pal, Long reposted a thread “about the funniest thing I ever heard him, or anyone, say in a writers room.” 

Gutted to learn of the passing of my dear friend and colleague Marc Wilmore. In his honor, I repost this thread, about the funniest thing I ever heard him, or anyone, say in a writers room. https://t.co/gUBGQYepkD

— Tim Long (@mrtimlong) January 31, 2021

At The Simpsons — a years-long writers’ job he nabbed as a result of a practical joke in which he effectively impersonated an angry East St. Louis mayor — Marc Wilmore won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. He later joined the Netflix series F is for Family, starring Bill Burr. Wilmore was an executive producer there, as well as a voice artist. 

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Born in San Bernardino, California as one of five children, Marc followed Larry, his talented older brother, into the entertainment industry. Larry Wilmore, the acclaimed comedian, writer and producer, is also co-creator of the hit Issa Rae HBO series Insecure. 

A recent People magazine article notes that nearly two dozen celebrities have died from coronavirus, including actress Carol Sutton, Broadway star Nick Cordero and country music legend Charlie Pride. 

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