Vegas performer Danny Gans dies

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LAS VEGAS " Danny Gans, whose celebrity impressions made him a popular mainstay on the Las Vegas Strip, died Friday at his home in Henderson. He was 52.

A family member called authorities about 3:44 a.m. and said Gans was struggling to breathe, Henderson police said.

Gans was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said there were no signs of foul play. The Clark County Coroner's office has not released a cause of death.

"One of the most unique human beings and entertainers in the world has been taken from us in an unexpected moment," according to a statement from casino mogul Steve Wynn, who hired Gans when he owned the Mirage and brought him to the 1,500-seat Encore Theater in February 2009.

Relatively unknown outside Las Vegas, Gans was mourned Friday by gaming titans, Strip legends such as Wayne Newton, and even Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

"He was a talented performer who used his celebrity to give back to our community and those in need," Reid said in a statement. "Las Vegas is a better place because of Danny Gans."