Andy Smart, a veteran performer known for his work in the British comedy scene, died “unexpectedly” on Tuesday night, his daughter said. He was 63. A cause of death was not shared by his daughter, Grace, who wrote on Smart’s Twitter, “He had so many friends and such a great life. Raise a glass for him.” Other comedians flooded into the tweet’s replies to express condolences and share memories, with marquee names like Eddie Izzard, Dara Ó Briain, and Matt Lucas all paying tribute to Smart, whom Ó Briain called “such a force for joy.” The news comes just days after Smart performed at The Comedy Store in London on Sunday, according to E! News. Starting in 1995, Smart had been a frequent fixture of the venue as a guest performer and eventual permanent member of its house improv group. “We the Comedy Store Players are utterly heartbroken,” fellow member Josie Lawrence tweeted. “We cannot say how much we will miss him. He was a joy. He laughed more than anyone we knew. He did so much crazy stuff but mostly he made our little world way more fun. We loved him so much.”
Hi this is Grace, Andy’s daughter, I’m very sorry to let you all know that dad passed away unexpectedly last night. He had so many friends and such a great life. Raise a glass for him. G x
