Gene Patton, the beloved dancing stagehand on the hugely popular 1970s series "The Gong Show," has died in Pasadena, Calif. He was 82.
"Gene Gene the Dancing Machine" was a favorite segment of the whacky talent show hosted by Chuck Barris.
He died Monday after suffering from diabetes, his family announced Saturday.
For seemingly no reason at all, Barris would bellow for "Gene Gene the Dancing Machine," and out would shuffle Patton, who was really a NBC stagehand. Pandemonium ensued as Barris, the guest judges and the audience screamed and danced and Patton did his weird, static little dance to the show's band belting out Count Basie's "Jumpin' at the Woodside."
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