Actor James Michael Tyler passed away on Sunday at the age of 59. He played the coffee shop manager on the iconic sitcom ‘Friends’.
According to a representative, Tyler died at his home in Los Angeles after battling prostate cancer. He was diagnosed with it in 2018.
“The world knew him as Gunther (the seventh ‘Friend’), from the hit series Friends, but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and loving husband,” representative Toni Benson said in a statement to US media.
His character on “Friends” featured in 150 episodes throughout the show’s ten seasons. He was sarcastically running Central Perk, the coffeehouse where the other characters met. Also, he was yearning after Rachel, played by Jennifer Aniston.
“Michael loved live music, cheering on his Clemson Tigers and would often find himself in fun and unplanned adventures. If you met him once, you made a friend for life,” Benson said.
Tyler has appeared in a variety of other shows, including “Scrubs,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” and “Modern Music.”
Warner Bros TV tweeted that it was mourning the loss of “a beloved actor and integral part of our FRIENDS family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and fans.”
Tyler revealed in June on NBC’s “Today” show that he had advanced prostate cancer, which had also spread to his bones, in September 2018. During a routine physical, the cancer was identified. James Michael Tyler passes away after fighting a tough battle with cancer.