The Tragic Death Of Happy Days Star Gavan O'Herlihy

Actor Gavan O'Herlihy died on September 15 in Bath, England at the age of 70, according to CNN. O'Herlihy's death was not officially announced until November 12, the outlet added. His family and relatives have chosen not to disclose the cause of O'Herlihy's death, but they did state that his death was not related to COVID-19, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed.

Meanwhile, O'Herlihy's agent, Michael Emptage, released a statement to People. "He was a wonderful actor with a long and distinguished career in film, television, and theatre," Emptage said. "Gavan was admired and respected for his directness, his sincerity, and his honesty — he is greatly missed by all who knew him and most particularly by his adoring wife and family."

While O'Herlihy was best known for his role as Chuck Cunningham in the American sitcom "Happy Days," the actor had an impressive career with major highlights and was celebrated for many roles.

Gavan O'Herlihy's first acting role was on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," where he briefly played the character Josh McBride, per his IMDb credits. Following this introduction to television, O'Herlihy landed the role of Chuck Cunningham on "Happy Days" (though this role was also short-lived), alongside Ron Howard, who played his little brother, Richie Cunningham.

In light of O'Herlihy's passing, Howard commemorated his former co-star on Twitter. "RIP Gavan," Howard wrote. "I knew him as the 1st of 2 Chucks on Happy Days & then as Airk in Willow where I had the pleasure of directing him. A talented actor with a big free spirit."

O'Herlihy was really an iconic part of TV and films in the late 70s and early 80s. He appeared in "The Bionic Woman" and played the character Jack Petachi in Sean Connery's 1983 James Bond film, "Never Say Never Again." Unforgettably, he also played Airk Thaughbaer in the 1988 film "Willow." He is survived by his brother, Cormac O'Herlihy, and fellow siblings Patricia, Lorcan, and Olwen, according to Variety, as well as his wife Juliette, and their sons: Rogan, Lonan, David, and Daniel.