New York, Oct. 25 (U.S.): Actor James Michael Tyler, widely known for his recurring role in “Friends” as Gunther, has passed away. He was 59 years old.
His manager, Tony Benson, said Tyler died Sunday at his Los Angeles home of prostate cancer. Tyler was first diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2018, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Benson wrote in tribute: “The world knew him as Gunther (“Friend” VII), from the hit series “Friends,” but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer awareness advocate, and loving husband.” Michael loved live music, and was a cheer for the Clemson Tigers. of his own, often finding himself in unplanned merrymaking and adventures.”
Tyler appeared briefly on the ’90s series such as “Just Shoot Me!” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” before being cast as a background character on the second episodes of “Friends” in 1994. Over the show’s multiple years, he has become the series’ most frequent guest star playing Gunther, the Central Burke barista with unrequited affection. For Rachel (Jennifer Aniston).
Tyler was initially selected while working as a waiter at the Bourgeois Pig Café in Los Angeles. He didn’t have a line of dialogue on “Friends” until he appeared in 33 appearances on the show, according to the 2019 book, “Friends of the Generation: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined the Age of Television,” by Saul Austerlitz. Over the course of 236 episodes, Tyler appeared in 150 of them.
Warner Bros. Television, which produced the hit series, mourned Tyler’s death, “a beloved actor and an integral part of the ‘Our Friends’ family.”
Once “Friends” wrapped in 2004, Tyler appeared in “Scrubs” and “Modern Music” and played his part in one of Matt LeBlanc’s episodes of “Episodes” in 2012.
After being diagnosed with cancer, Tyler starred in two short films while undergoing treatment and performed a spoken word performance of Stefan Kalinic’s poem “If You Knew” to help raise awareness of the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Tyler is survived by his wife Jennifer Karnot.
RAE