Dick Van Patten, best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford on the TV series Eight is Enough, died earlier on Tuesday due to complications from diabetes.
The actor’s rep, Jeff Ballard, commented on his passing.
“He was the kindest man you could ever meet in life,” he said. “They don’t make them like him anymore.”
In addition to his work on Eight is Enough, Dick Van Patten appeared on several shows during the past few years, including The Love Boat. In 2011 he made a guest appearance on Hot in Cleveland, and in the past decade he guest starred on That 70s Show and Arrested Development.
Farewell to one of the nicest TV dads in history, Dick Van Patten, who has passed away at 86: http://t.co/PShMqW7aT3 pic.twitter.com/FUnGJ9uiKs
— IMDb (@IMDb) June 23, 2015
“I like to do TV series. I think they’re so comfortable. You’re doing the same part every week,” Dick Van Patten said in an interview several years back. “You’re working with the same people and there’s a lot of recognition. I like to do series best. I really do.”
Born in New York City, Dick Van Patten debuted on Broadway at the age of seven. Eventually moving to Hollywood, he starred in both TV roles and in films. He appeared in several Mel Brooks films including Spaceballs, High Anxiety, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
'Eight Is Enough' and 'The Love Boat' actor Dick Van Patten dies at 86 http://t.co/Y94xkrTPtu
— TIME.com (@TIME) June 23, 2015
Married to Patricia Van Patten for more than 60 years, Dick Van Patten is survived by his wife and their three sons.