Comedian George Carlin dead at age 71

June 23, 2008 American comedian George Carlin has died at the age of 71 after suffering heart failure.

Carlin was taken to the Saint John's Health Center located in Santa Monica, California after he experienced chest pains and died in the early evening.

Carlin has made several HBO specials and nearly two dozen comedy albums. He appeared in several movies such as Dogma, and was also the first host for the television show Saturday Night Live which premiered in 1975.

Carlin suffered from a cocaine addiction throughout his life and was self-admitted to a rehab clinic in 2004.