Actor Charles Grodin has died, his son, Nicholas, confirmed to The New York Times on Tuesday. He was 86 years old.
Nicholas tells the outlet that Grodin died at his home in Wilton, Connecticut, and that the cause of death was bone marrow cancer.
Grodin began his acting career in the ’60s in television, before transitioning to film. He is best known for his roles in 1972’s The Heartbreak Kid, 1988’s Midnight Run alongside Robert De Niro, and later, more family-oriented films like 1992’s Beethoven and its sequel, Beethoven’s 2nd. More notable credits include 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby, 1970’s Catch-22, 1978’s Heaven Can Wait and 1993’s Heart and Souls.
He was also known for his talk show appearances, and was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and on Late Night With David Letterman. He hosted his own CNBC talk show, The Charles Grodin Show, from 1995-1998 and was a political commentator for 60 Minutes II.
Grodin had a career resurgence in the 2010s, when he appeared on popular television shows like Law and Order: SVU, The Michael J. Fox Show and Louis C.K.’s show, Louie.
Also a writer, he won an Emmy in 1978 for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for the Paul Simon Special alongside Chevy Chase, Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon and Lily Tomlin.
A number of celebrities mourned Grodin’s death on Tuesday, including Patton Oswalt, Kathy Griffin and Billy Eichner.
“I loved Charles Grodin so much,” Griffin tweeted about the late star, who was known for his deadpan sense of humor. “He would bust my balls and give me so much sh** in a way that left me no choice but to giggle with glee. Never mean spirited, just quick and brilliant.”
Meanwhile, Eichner tweeted, “God I loved him.”
Grodin had two children: daughter Marion, from his marriage to Julie Ferguson, and Nicholas, from his marriage to Elissa Durwood.
