ET confirms the sad news that HARVEY KORMAN, who starred in "The CAROL BURNETT Show," and 'Blazing Saddles,' has died. He was 81.

The actor and comedian passed away at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm several months ago.

Carol Burnett released the following exclusive statement to ET through her representative: "I'm devastated. I loved him very much."

And "The Carol Burnett Show" co-star VICKI LAWRENCE says, "How fortunate was I as an 18-year-old idiot to run headlong into the greatest sketch comedian of all time, Harvey Korman. He was a mentor and a friend to me. It was impossible not to learn from him, even if just by osmosis. Comedy was very serious business to Harvey. At the core of all his silly, hysterical characters was something honest and true. That was his gift to his fans and that was his gift to me. There isn't a comedian in my generation who didn't look to Harvey as a huge influence. His passing marks an important moment in television history and is a great loss for his family and those of us lucky enough to have watched, laughed, and worked with him."

Another "Burnett Show" co-star LYLE WAGGONER told ET: "The passing of Harvey Korman is a terrible loss to the entertainment world. His amazing creative comedy talent will be remembered forever in television history. It was an honor and privilege to have known him and worked with him."

Korman won four Emmy awards and one Golden Globe for his work on "The Carol Burnett Show," on which he appeared frequently with funnyman TIM CONWAY. The two toured together in later years. In 'Blazing Saddles,' Korman played the nefarious Hedley Lamarr, who attempted to swindle land from innocent townspeople in order to build a railroad. He also starred in several other MEL BROOKS comedies, including 'High Anxiety,' and 'Dracula: Dead and Loving It.'

His daughter, KATE KORMAN, said in a statement released by UCLA on behalf of the family: "It was a miracle in itself that he survived the incident at all. Everyone in the hospital referred to him as 'miracle man' because of his strong will and ability to bounce right back after several major operations. Tragically, after such a hard-fought battle he passed away."

Korman is survived by his wife DEBORAH, four children and three grandchildren. In the UCLA statement, the family "thank[ed] everyone for all their support during this difficult time," and noted that a memorial service to be held for Korman will be private.