Larry Hooper

Plagued with health problems for years, he left the show on sick leave in 1969 due to a heart condition, occasionally filling in with the orchestra when one of the other keyboardists got sick and making guest appearances during that time frame. He returned full-time for the first show of the 1973-74 season (the "Tribute to Disney" episode, singing "Oh Happy Day"). It drew a huge emotional standing ovation from the audience and cast although Larry was visibly lip-syncing and was always uncomfortable and short of breath during the performance. Larry had fewer solo and singing roles and was primarily in the band during the last couple of years of his appearances when his health began to fail again. He left the show for the final time in 1980 and three years later, he died of kidney failure.