Rudy Moreno, a popular comedian who was often referred to by his fans and colleagues as “the godfather of Latin comedy,” has died. He was 66 years old.
Moreno died Friday at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena from complications of a stroke and sepsis, his son Nathan said Sunday.
Born on July 24, 1957, and raised in Lincoln Heights, Moreno frequently performed at the Ice House comedy club in Pasadena and hosted shows titled “Rudy Moreno and Friends” that featured other comics. He also worked in top comedy clubs across the country and opened for Smokey Robinson, the Black Eyed Peas and other acts.
“My heart is really broken,” actor and comedian Ken Jeong posted on X, noting that Moreno was the first person to cast him in Ice House.
“In fact, the first time my wife saw me doing stand-up was at Ice House on Rudy's show,” Jeong wrote. “All of this finally led me to do my Netflix special on Ice House, thanks to Rudy Moreno constantly supporting me and allowing me to have time on stage in all of his shows. There are countless comedians who owe their beginnings to this man. And he was hilarious, an accomplished comedian.”
A biography of the comedian says that he got into show business in 1991 when Rudy Salas, leader of the rock group Tierra, approached him and asked him to act as the band's opening act.
“He said I was so funny that I should be a comedian and that if I wanted, he would help me and let me open the band,” Moreno said.
After seeing Moreno perform, television producer Jeff Valdez hired him for “Comedy Compadres,” which featured Latin comics.
During his career, he appeared in numerous television series, including “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Criminal Minds” and “Arrested Development.” In 2022, she appeared in the Mark Wahlberg film “Father Stu.”
In addition to being an accomplished guitarist, Moreno and his family created Komics for Kids, an event designed to help inner-city children.
