Actor James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther in the popular television show Friends, died on Sunday, at his home in Los Angeles. He was suffering from prostate cancer.
“Tyler passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on Sunday morning,” a statement from his manager said, according to BBC.
Tyler, who was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2018, only broke the news to the world in June this year, shortly after the release of Friends: The Reunion, a special episode that aired on HBO Max. He added that while he was fine for around a year, the cancer eventually spread to his bones and spine, and resulted in paralysis of his lower body.
“So the cancer decided to mutate at the time of the pandemic, and so it’s progressed,” he said.
Tyler played the role of Gunther, the manager at a coffee shop in Central Park, where the six main characters hang out. Tyler had a recurring role on the show, from 1994 to 2004.
Though he didn’t get as much dialogues and credit as the rest of the cast members, he was always in the background at the coffee shop. According to this fan page dedicated to the show, Tyler’s character Gunther has the “most appearances after the main cast, with 185 episodes, though the majority of these are non-speaking and uncredited.”
“Gunther’s peroxide blonde hair is a source of much entertainment,” says the page.
Born in 1962, Mississippi, Tyler lost his parents at an early age. His interest in becoming an actor began with his association with a student theatre group, while in college. Friends was Tyler’s breakthrough show.
“The world knew him as Gunther (the seventh Friend)… but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate, and loving husband,” said the statement issued by Tyler’s manager.
Apart from acting, Tyler also dabbled in music, with a verbal performance in If You Knew, a tribute album to The Beach Boys’ lyricist Stephen Kalinich.
Tributes poured in from across the world, including from the cast of Friends.
Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel on the show wrote on Instagram, “Friends would not have been the same without you. Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed.”
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“The size of gratitude you brought into the room and showed every day on set is the size of the gratitude I hold for having known you. Rest In peace James,” wrote Courteney Cox, who played Monica Geller on the show.
Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay, wrote, “James Michael Tyler, we will miss you. Thank you for being there for us all.”
Tyler is survived by his wife Jennifer Carno.
(With inputs from Anindita Banerjee)