Post #463932 by VampiressRN on Tue, Jun 23, 2009 6:03 AM

Television legend and longtime 'Tonight Show' sidekick Ed McMahon has passed away. He was 86 years old.

McMahon died shortly after midnight at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. His publicist Howard Bragman didn't give a cause of death, but said Ed had a "multitude of health problems the last few months." In February, Bragman announced that McMahon had been hospitalized for nearly a month with pneumonia and that other medical problems emerged, though little information was given since then. "It's serious. He's an 85-year old man with a number of medical issues going on," Bragman told Reuters at the time.

McMahon's hospitalization followed a difficult year for the veteran TV celebrity, most famous for his nightly "Heeeeeeere's Johnny!" introduction of Carson for 30 years and for his hosting the TV talent show "Star Search." In addition to his stints on "The Tonight Show" and "Star Search," McMahon became well-known as the presenter of the American Family Publishing sweepstakes and as a pitchman for numerous commercials, most notably for Budweiser beer.

He also served as the longtime co-host of Jerry Lewis' annual Labor Day telethon benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Aside from his entertainment career, McMahon was a colonel in the United States Marines, serving during the late 1940s and 1950s. In recent years, McMahon made headlines due to financial troubles, where his bankruptcy and possible home foreclosure led to him getting more work via commercials.