British writer, comedian, and BAFTA award-winning actor Martin Alan 'Marty' Feldman had bulging eyes as a result of a disorder caused by the thyroid, also called 'Graves disease'.
Feldman died of a heart attack and food poisoning caused by shellfish in his hotel room in Mexico City while he was filming the movie 'Yellowbeard'.
Feldman, known for his curly hair and googly eyes, became a sought-after actor in comedy films and shows with these features. The reason why his eyes were so protruding was that he suffered from Basedow's disease, an immune-related disease that causes the thyroid gland to overwork.
WHO IS MARTY FELDMAN?
Marty Feldman is an English comedian, actor, writer and director. He was born on July 8, 1934 in London, England. Marty Feldman is especially known for his work in comedy.
Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his prominent, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on the ITV sitcom Bootsie and Snudge and the BBC Radio comedy programme Round the Horne. He became known as a performer on At Last the 1948 Show (co-writing the "Four Yorkshiremen sketch" which Monty Python would perform) and Marty, the latter of which won Feldman two British Academy Television Awards including Best Entertainment Performance in 1969.
Feldman became known for appearing on "At Last the 1948 Show," a popular television program of the 1960s and 1970s, and for his own television series, "Marty." He is also known for the movie "Young Frankenstein" directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder. Feldman's comic appearance, large eyes, and distorted facial features give him a characteristic appearance.
Marty Feldman died on December 20, 1982, at the age of 48.
Marty Feldman was born on July 8, 1934 in London, England. His given name at birth was Martin Alan Feldman. His parents emigrated to England from Kyiv, Ukraine. Marty spent his childhood in the poverty-stricken "East End" of London. He had to drop out of school at the age of 15 because he hoped to become a jazz trumpeter and earn a living that way (though he later won the title of "worst trumpeter in the world" in a variety show he attended!)
In 1959, he married Lauretta Sullivan, with whom he remained married until his death. In fact, the very special shape of his face would open the doors of fame to him. The shape of his nose, which was already growing, was quite distorted because of the boxing sport he was involved in when he was young.
His eyes were extremely protruding due to Basedow's disease, an immune-related thyroid disease. This protrusion became even more evident as a result of an unsuccessful surgery he had after a traffic accident in 1963.
However, in a way, these misfortunes turned out to be his luck and he became a sought-after character actor in comedy films.