Wilford Brimley, an actor who starred in films like Cocoon, The Natural and Absence of Malice and was the face of Quaker Oats for many years, has died. He was 85.
Brimley’s manager, Lynda Bensky, confirmed to 360aproko that he died at his home in Utah Saturday morning. He was in an ICU wing of a hospital on dialysis, and was very sick for days.
“Wilford Brimley was a man you could trust,” Bensky told 360aproko in a statement. “He said what he meant and he meant what he said. He had a gruff exterior and a tender heart.”
“I’m sad that I will no longer get to hear my friend’s wonderful stories,” the statement continued. “He was one of a kind.”
Brimley became a spokesperson for diabetes education after learning he had the disease in the late 70s. The diagnosis led him to his gig with the Quaker Oats brand in the 80s and 90s, encouraging viewers to eat the healthy cereal because “it’s the right thing to do.”
Brimley is survived by his wife, Beverly, and his three children.
Shortly after news broke, a number of Brimley’s fans and celebrity friends took to Twitter to pay tribute to the beloved actor, including Stephen Colbert.
“RIP Wilford Brimley,” he wrote. “So many great performances, but I’ll never forget seeing him sing this surprisingly tender ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green.'”
