DeForest portrayed Melman on Letterman's show on NBC during the 1980's and up until 2002. He died Monday at the age of 85. "Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself - a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said in a statement Wednesday. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."
Source: AP
