Victor Noah Barbanell

Victor Noah Barbanell, who had a 60-year career in comedy as Vic Arnell, gave his final performance to a standing ovation and passed away peacefully on November 4, 2017 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 79 years old. He began his career in comedy in 1955 and has performed on stages all over the world with stars like Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, and regularly headlined in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, South Florida and the Catskill Mountains during its peak from the 1960’s to the 1990’s.

Mr. Barbanell was born on January 1, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Columbia University and served in the U.S. Army before turning his attention full-time to comedy and making people laugh. In 1970, he moved to Rockland County, New York and resided in the village of Suffern for nearly 30 years before moving to Pompano Beach, Florida.

Mr. Barbanell was passionate about helping people in need and, using his celebrity as Vic Arnell, donated his time and his talent to countless charities, ultimately helping to raise millions of dollars for organizations such as Calvary Hospital for palliative care, Camp Venture and Jawonio for adults and children with disabilities, and the Catskill Entertainers Fund.

Barbanell was a true lover of good food, golf and laughing endlessly with his family, friends and fellow entertainers. Barbanell considered himself extremely blessed to have been able to spend his life with two women who always stood by him, his wife Holly Lipton Barbanell who he loved deeply and traveled around the world and performed regularly with, and his first wife who predeceased him, Lanie Barbanell. He is also survived by his daughter Esta who he always looked forward to chatting with during their tri-weekly calls; his son and daughter-in-law David and Terry who he loved sitting by the pool with and watching their koi fish swim around; his grandson Max who he was so proud of for becoming a Senior Airman in the Air Force; and his granddaughter Chloe who he loved seeing riding her horse; and he loved spending time with and talking to his sister and brother-in-law Arlyne and Ed McMullin and his brother Victor Goodman.

A memorial service will be held to have a laugh or two in Vic’s honor at Star of David Funeral Chapel in North Lauderdale, FL on Monday, November 13. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Vic's memory to Calvary Hospital in Bronx, NY, Camp Venture in Nanuet, NY and/or Jawonio in New City, NY.

Arrangements under the direction of Star of David Memorial Gardens Cemetery and Funeral Chapel, North Lauderdale, FL.