R.I.P. Larry "Bud" Melman

[mrtonguetwista]

NEW YORK -- To viewers of David Letterman's late night television show, he was known as Larry "Bud" Melman.

Calvert DeForest died Monday after a long illness. He was 85.

As Melman, DeForest made dozens of appearances on Letterman's shows from 1982 through 2002, handling a variety of twisted duties.

He did a duet with Sonny Bono on "I Got You, Babe" and handed out hot towels to arrivals at New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal.

DeForest was the first face to greet viewers when Letterman's NBC show debuted on Feb. 1, 1982.

DeForest also appeared in an assortment of other TV shows and films, including "Nothing Lasts Forever" with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.