Final Years and Death
The final years of Reilly's life were primarily spent touring the country directing theater and opera, and offering audiences a glimpse into his background and personal life with a critically acclaimed one-man play chronicling his life called Save It for the Stage: The Life of Reilly. In 2004, his final performance of the play was filmed as the basis for an autobiographical independent film titled The Life of Reilly.
Reilly was ill with respiratory problems, while filming The Life of Reilly and retired from directing and performing immediately after the final day of shooting. The Life of Reilly was premiered in March 2006 at the South by Southwest film festival and Reilly's performance in the film received great acclaim. Reilly canceled his personal appearance at South by Southwest due to illness and by the time the film premiered he had been hospitalized. On May 25, 2007, Reilly died of pneumonia at his home. His remains were cremated. That weekend the Game Show Network was dedicated to Reilly, airing his funniest episodes of Match Game.
Read more about this topic: Charles Nelson Reilly
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