George Carlin

George Carlin (born May 12, 1937 - died June 22, 2008) is a five-time Grammy-winning American comedian and social commentator who played Mr. Conductor and his evil twin in Shining Time Station.

On June the 22nd, 2008, Carlin died of heart failure at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, at the age of 71. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered, without any religious ceremonies, as he wished. Following his death, Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow wrote tributes to him.

While Carlin usually insulted most of the shows that he did, he usually spoke very fondly of both Shining Time Station and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, even in some of his stage shows. In an interview on "TV Legends" conducted shortly before his death, he explained that he signed on both shows so that people could see a different side of him.

Filmography

Film

"With Six You Get Eggroll (1968)
"Car Wash (1976)
"Americathon (1979)
"Outrageous Fortune (1987)
"Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
"Working Trash (1990)
"Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (1991)
"The Prince of Tides (1991)
"Dogma (1999)
"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001)
"Scary Movie 3" (2003)
"Jersey Girl" (2004)
"Tarzan II" (2005)
"The Aristocrats" (2005)
"Cars" (2006)
"Happily N'Ever After" (2007)

Television

"The Kraft Summer Music Hall" (1966)
"That Girl" (1966)
"The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" (1968)
"The Flip Wilson Show" - also writer and performer (1971-1973)
"The Mike Douglas Show" (1972)
"Saturday Night Live" (1975 and 1984)
"Justin Case" (1988)
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (1991-1996)
Shining Time Station (1991-1995)
Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales (1996-1997)
"Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures" (1991-1993)
"The George Carlin Show" (1994)
"Streets of Laredo" (1995)
"The Simpsons" (1998)
"Caillou" (1998-2008)
"The Daily Show" (1999, twice, and 2004)
"MADtv" (2000)
"Inside the Actors Studio" (2004)

HBO specials

"George Carlin at USC" (1977)
"George Carlin: Again!" (1978)
"Carlin at Carnegie" (1982)
"Carlin on Campus" (1984)
"Playin' with Your Head" (1986)
"What am I Doing in New Jersey?" (1988)
"Doin' it Again" (1990)
"Jammin' in New York" (1992)
"Back in Town" (1996)
"George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy" (1997)
"You are All Diseased" (1999)
"Complaints and Grievances" (2001)
"Life is Worth Losing" (2005)
"It's Bad for Ya" (2008)

Discography

"Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club Tonight" (1963)
"Take-Offs and Put-Ons" (1967)
"FM and AM" (1972)
"Class Clown" (1972)
"Occupation: Foole" (1973)
"Toledo Window Box" (1974)
"An Evening with Wally Londo Featuring Bill Slaszo" (1975)
"On the Road" (1977)
"Indecent Exposure: Some of the Best of George Carlin" (1978)
"Killer Carlin" (1981)
"A Place for My Stuff" (1981)
"Carlin on Campus" (1984)
"Playin' with Your Head" (1986)
"What am I Doing in New Jersey?" (1988)
"Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics" (1990)
"Jammin' in New York" (1992)
"Classic Gold" 1992)
"Back in Town" (1996)
"You are All Diseased" (1999)
"The Little David Years (1971-1977)" (1999)
"Complaints and Grievances" (2001)
"George Carlin on Comedy" (2002)
"Life is Worth Losing" (2006)
"More Napalm and Silly Putty" (2007)
"It's Bad for Ya" (2008)

Books

"Sometimes a Little Brain Damage can Help" (1984)
"Brain Droppings" (1997)
"Napalm and Silly Putty" (2001)
"More Napalm and Silly Putty" (2002)
"When will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?" (2004)
"Three Times Carlin: An Orgy of George" (2006)
"Watch my Language" (2009)

Major awards and nominations

WON: Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording, 1972, for "FM and AM"
WON: Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album, 1993, for "Jammin' in New York"
WON: Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album, 2001, for "Brain Droppings"
WON: Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album, 2002, for "Napalm and Silly Putty"
WON: Grammy Award for Best Comedy Recording, 2008, for "It's Bad For Ya"
Nominated - Daytime Emmy Awards - Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series, 1992 and 1994 for "Shining Time Station."

Trivia

He, Ringo Starr, and Alec Baldwin have hosted Saturday Night Live and made guest appearances on The Simpsons.
He was good friends with Russell Means, who played Billy Twofeathers in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
George has referenced Shining Time Station twice in his comedy works after his time on the show. The first time in his 1999 HBO special "You are All Diseased" where he was talking about child worship by saying: "And remember this is Mr. Conductor talking, I know what I'm talking about!". The second time was in his book and audiobook "More Napalm and Silly Putty" where he repeated the same subject.