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George Carlin, stand-up comedian, actor and author, died Sunday night of heart failure. He was 71.

Known for his irreverent attitude, particularly his satiric and caustic observations on religion and language, Carlin was a popular counterculture figure.

He first came to national attention during the 1960s on "Laugh In," where he created such persona as the hippie-dippie weatherman. Carlin never lost his hippie sensibilities as he retained his beard and ponytail.

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

Carlin was inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame in 1994.

In 2004, Carlin was voted the No. 2 "Greatest Stand-up Comedian of All Time" by Comedy Central, behind Richard Pryor. He...

George Carlin, the edgy comedian and counterculture icon, died Sunday at the age of 71. The stand-up comic and author – best known for his groundbreaking routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" – reportedly died of heart failure at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. (Carlin, who was open about his long struggle with drugs and alcohol, had a history of heart problems, including a previous heart attack.) In 1978, the bearded comedian famous for his clever wordplay and often-explicit commentary on sex, drugs and the absurdities of modern life found himself in the middle of a court battle that...

George Carlin – who once wryly wondered, "Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?" – is being mourned by fellow comedians such as Ben Stiller and Jay Leno, not only for being a groundbreaker in entertainment but an individual of great honor. "George Carlin was a hugely influential force in stand-up comedy," Stiller, 42, said in a statement. "He had an amazing mind, and his humor was brave, and always challenging us to look at ourselves and question our belief systems, while being incredibly entertaining. He was one of the greats and he will be missed.