He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1541 Vine Street on April 24, 1984.
He passed away on September 13, 1991, only six days from what would have been his 90th birthday.
Following his death, he was interred at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.
His son Michael,. born 1943, is better known as the disc jockey Emperor Rosko and took the name Rosko from an American DJ who he always listened to when a youngster.