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Comic Actor Fred Willard Dies at 86, Family Says

© AP Photo / Chris PizzelloActor Fred Willard poses before a 50th anniversary screening of the film "In the Heat of the Night" on the opening night of the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Los Angeles.
Actor Fred Willard poses before a 50th anniversary screening of the film In the Heat of the Night on the opening night of the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Los Angeles. - Sputnik International
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According to his family, Willard passed away last night from natural causes, less than two years after his wife, Mary Willard, died at the age of 71.

Comic actor Fred Willard has died at the age of 86, PEOPLE reported on Saturday.

"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", his daughter Hope Mulbarger told the newspaper in a statement. "We loved him so very much!"

Willard, also a writer, is most beloved for "Best in Show", "This Is Spinal Tap", "Everybody Loves Raymond", and "Modern Family". He also hosted "Saturday Night Live" back in 1978.

Many of his colleagues and friends took to social media to pay tribute to Willard, including his co-stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Steve Carel, who praised him for his talent and excellent sense of humour.

Jamie Lee Curtis, whose husband, Christopher Guest, worked with Willard for many years, also expressed her condolences on Instagram.

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

A fond farewell to Mr. Fred Willard. How lucky we all are that we got to witness his great gifts. Thanks for the deep belly laughs. You are now with Mary. Home safe.

Публикация от Jamie Lee Curtis (@curtisleejamie)

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