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Character actor and comedian Fred Willard dies at 86
Comedian and character actor and Fred Willard passed away Friday. He was 86 years old.
Willard's representative Glenn Schwartz confirmed to Rolling Stone that the cause of death was natural causes. In a statement, his daughter Hope Mulbarger said, "My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old. He kept moving, working, and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."
Born September 18, 1933, Willard made his name in the world of comedy. He is best known for his appearances in Christopher Guest's various mockumentary-style comedic films Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, For Your Consideration, and A Mighty Wind.
His other (of many) comedic works include Anchorman, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, and This Is Spinal Tap. He also portrayed Franky Dunphy on the long-running ABC comedy Modern Family. He even spent a short time on the daytime soap The Bold and the Beautiful. One of his final roles will be as Fred Naird on the Steve Carell/Netflix comedy Space Force.
His voiceover work was just as prolific as his work in front of the camera. His comedic voice is literally and figuratively found on shows such as The Batman, Scooby-Doo, G.I. Joe, Transformers, WALL-E, and Kim Possible.
Fans, colleagues, and friends took to social media to pay tribute to the talented actor.
