What happened to Freddie Roman? Cause of death explored as beloved comedian passes away at 85

American comedian Freddie Roman, best known for appearing at Borscht Belt hotels, passed away at the age of 85.

According to Deadline, his daughter Judi Levin told the publication that Roman suffered a heart attack at his country home on the morning of November 26, and later passed away at a hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida.

His family and wife of 63 years, Ethel, were alongside him at the time of his death, TMZ reported.

Freddie Roman, born Fred Kirschenbaum, was famed for his old-timey jokes at nightclubs in Las Vegas and New York.

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Freddie Roman developed a liking for show business at the age of 15

Born on May 27, 1937, Freddie Roman was born in New Jersey and was the son of a shoe salesman.

He developed a liking for show business at the age of 15 after getting the opportunity to emcee at his relative's hotel, the Crystal Spring Hotel in the Catskills.

Though he left showbiz to work for his father, Roman returned to the stage after realizing that his true calling was "not in the shoe business, but show business."

Roman was also the dean of The Friar’s Club and frequently made jokes about celebrities like Chevy Chase, Rob Reiner, Jerry Stiller, Drew Carey, and Hugh Hefner on Comedy Central’s Roasts.

The Friars Club had a two-term maximum bylaw which they changed so Roman could stay on as the dean. He was later succeeded as dean by Larry King in 2014.

Freddie Roman also appeared on Broadway, where he starred in and co-wrote the stage show Catskills. Over the years, he performed at several high-profile venues, including Harrah's in Atlantic City and Caesars Palace, among others.

According to his IMDb profile, Freddie Roman began his film career in 1987 by appearing on Sweet Lorraine as Phil Allen. He appeared in several other films and TV shows, including Finding North (1998), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2004), Christ in the City (2005), Bittersweet Place (2005), The Last Laugh (2006), Welcome to Kutsher's: The Last Catskills Resort (2012), and The Comedian (2016), among others.

As a comic, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Mike Douglas Show, The Alan Thicke Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon, Funny Already: A History of Jewish Comedy, Mr. Laughs: A Look Behind the Curtain, Katz's: That's All, etc.

Even in his old age, Roman contributed to the New York comedy scene after being one of the most prominent comedians there.

He last appeared in Joe Gangemi's television series Red Oaks from 2014 to 2017 as Herb, a cranky member of a New Jersey-based Jewish country club.