A talk show host who inspired comedian Martin Short's outrageous Jiminy Glick character has died.

Skip E. Lowe, who hosted a long-running weekly show for public access cable television in the U.S., died at his home in Hollywood on Monday (22Sep14). He was 85.

The former child actor's show, Skip E. Lowe Looks at Hollywood, debuted in 1978, and featured in-depth, often insightful, interviews with stars such as Orson Welles, Bette Davis, Shelley Winters, Tony Curtis, and Lynn Redgrave.

He also appeared in the films Best Foot Forward, Song of the Open Road, Black Shampoo and the Dead End Kids comedy series.