Comedian George Carlin was a familiar and favorite name for the marquee of the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville.

His first stage appearance at the Star Plaza was in July 1980, and his last was a rescheduled show that brought him back to Northwest Indiana in February 2007.

He logged a dozen performances at the Star Plaza Theatre, with a 13th return visit set for 2009.

"About every other year, we'd book Carlin for a show at Star Plaza, and he'd always pack the house and bring fresh material that not only made our audiences laugh, but also think," said Star Plaza CEO and talent buyer Charlie Blum, who was saddened to learn that Carlin died of heart failure Sunday at age 71.

And though Carlin retained his reputation as a counterculture "loose cannon" with edgy comedic material, in recent years, his style was more mild than wild, according to industry insiders such as Blum.

"He was really always very much a gentleman to work with," Blum said.

"In fact, most of the time he'd be quietly sitting backstage with a notebook, working on new material to test out on stage, something which really impressed me since it's more common for many of the established comics to rely on dusting off trademark familiar bits to do over and over again year after year, rather than gambling on learning a new act."

NBC "Today" host Kathie Lee Gifford echoed the same sentiments about Carlin's character during Monday's broadcast, telling viewers "how sweet" Carlin was to work with during the many years she opened for him as a singer in Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City.

She said friends and fans often would hear she was sharing a bill with Carlin and react with surprise, associating him with a "blue humor" that was more his trademark earlier in his career.

In fact, a much-anticipated appearance by Carlin on the June 14, 2006, "The Tonight Show," when he shared the guest couch with ultraconservative political commentator and author Ann Coulter during the debut week of her controversial book attacking 9/11 widows, "Godless," was described in the media as "more fizzle than fireworks." Carlin barely said a word during the telecast, leaving Jay Leno to lead the surprisingly lackluster conversation with Coulter.

However, according to Blum, by this time, concerns about Carlin's health were apparent.

Carlin's November 2006 show, his last at the Star Plaza Theatre, had to be canceled and rescheduled for Feb. 2, 2007, after Blum said Carlin suffered a heart attack.

At the time of his death, Carlin was scheduled for an Oct. 11 show at the famed Chicago Theatre.

But Blum emphasized that the more unpredictable persona so many fans associate with Carlin's political humor, as well as his trademark characters like "The Hippy Dippy Weatherman," were genuine.

Blum first worked with Carlin in 1975, the same year the comedian was selected to be the first guest host on the Oct. 11, 1975, premiere of "Saturday Night Live."

Blum, who was working on the East Coast at the time, had booked Carlin to perform at The Shady Grove Music Theater in Maryland.

"Back then, it was really during his wild days," Blum said.

"In fact, his show started about three hours late, because he couldn't find the theater. But when he made it to the stage and stepped into that spotlight, he was in full control and at the top of his game."