I remember him from way back as Martin Mull's dim sidekick Jerry Hubbard in Fernwood 2 Nite (later America 2 Nite).
I didn’t know he had been with Second City. I remember him with Ace Trucking Company back in the 60’s. Just a naturally talented and funny man for his entire career.
I just watched him in one of his first appearance in 'Hustle' and one his last on 'Modern Family'. I think the first time I remember seeing him was as the assistant running through the terminal trying to find his boss in order to get permission to evacuate the station before the train arrives in 'Silver Streak'.
Of course the highlight has to be his roles in those Christopher Guest movies. He was always great even in when you see him in something not so great he always shined as being better than the material. I don't know if I have laughed harder than with his sports announcer doing the dog show in "Best of Show." Jason
Harry Shearer said that the only scenes of This Is Spinal Tap that he, Christopher Guest and Micheal McKean had a hard time playing straight were those with Willard as Lieutenant Hookstratten. The first time I remember Fred Willard was as a "reporter" on NBC's Real People. He turned up in Salem's Lot around the same time, so I didn't know if he was an actor or what. It was when he would appear on Letterman in the '80s that I really got an idea of how hilarious he was. After Waiting For Guffman people really locked in to what he did best, and did better than anybody. Hilarious.