Impressionist Fred Travalena dies: The 'man of a thousand voices'

LOS ANGELES - Impressionist Fred Travalena, a regular in Vegas showrooms and on late-night talk shows with his takes on presidents, crooners and screen stars, has died. He was 66.

Publicist Roger Neal says that Travalena died Sunday at his home in the Encino area after a recurrence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which had first surfaced in 2002.

Travalena was famous for his large number of celebrity impressions, leading to the nicknames "The Man of a Thousand Voices" and "Mr. Everybody."

His act included presidents from Kennedy to Obama, musicians from Frank Sinatra to Bruce Springsteen and actors from Marlon Brando to Tom Cruise.

Travalena started his career in Las Vegas in 1971, and for years was an opening act, supporting such stars as Wayne Newton, Shirley MacLaine, Johnny Mathis, Don Rickles and Julie Andrews.

Finally, he gained headliner status in 2001 at the Stardust Resort and Casino, and joked that he was "an overnight sensation after 30 years in the business."

A 1987 TV special, "The Many Faces of Fred Travalena," was nominated for an ACE award for best cable comedy special. *