John Pinette dead: US comedian found dead in Pittsburgh hotel room, aged 50

The star, who was a veteran of the international comedy circuit, had just begun a tour of America and Canada

The American comedian and actor John Pinette has been found dead in a hotel room in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania aged just 50.

The star, who was a veteran of the international comedy circuit, had just begun a tour of America and Canada, which was scheduled to come to an end in June.

According to US media reports, he died at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

A local medical examiner’s office has since confirmed to the Associated Press that he died of natural causes. A spokesperson confirmed that he had been suffering from heart and liver disease.

His manager also told to the Hollywood Reporter that he had suffered a pulmonary embolism.

The comedian, who was a regular on NBC’s long-running The Tonight Show, was born in Boston in 1964.

He broke into the entertainment industry after being invited on tour with Frank Sinatra.

According to his agent, Nick Nuciforo, he had been working on a brand new stand-up project when he died.

“He should be celebrated for the amazing comedian he was,” Nuciforo said.

Other credits include appearing alongside John Travolta in The Punisher movie in 2004.

He also starred in the last ever episode of Seinfeld, where he played a carjacking victim who was mercilessly mocked by the other members of the cast.