The Tragic Death Of The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis Star Dwayne Hickman

Actor Dwayne Bernard Hickman has died. He was 87 years old at the time of his death.

Per The Washington Post, Hickman died on January 9 in his Los Angeles home, the same city he was born and raised in. Hickman's death was confirmed by his publicist, Harlan Boll. It's reported that the actor's death was a result of complications from Parkinson's disease, a common neurodegenerative disease that affects movement and results in tremors, rigidity, and difficulty walking, per the CDC. Hickman left behind his wife of many years, Joan Roberts, and two sons, Albert and John Hickman. 

Upon learning of the tragic news, many fans took to social media to pay tribute to the late thespian. "In his final appearance as Dobie Gillis, Dwayne Hickman didn't say 'good-bye' (because he hoped the reunion movie would spawn a reboot series; it didn't) This outro is especially bittersweet today," one user penned in a somber tweet along with a clip from the movie. Meanwhile, another user wrote a tweet that read, "So sad Dobie Gillis died this past Sunday he was 87, as a kid I loved that show. RIP Dwayne Hickman."

Hickman is perhaps best known for his for his role in the American sitcom, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis." But make no mistake about it, that was not his only acting credit. As reported by Variety, Hickman was bit by the acting bug at a young age and got his start in showbiz with cameos in "The Boy With the Green Hair" and "The Grapes of Wrath." The aspiring actor then went on to land the role of Chuck MacDonald in "The Bob Cummings Show." Although Hickman embarked on an economics degree from Loyola University, shortly after earning the degree he picked right back up where he left off snagging roles in "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini," "Ski Party" and "Cat Ballou."  

Along with acting, Hickman also enjoyed working behind the scenes as evidenced by his career as a network executive at CBS Television wherein he worked on"Maude," "M*A*S*H," and "Designing Women" starring actor Delta Burke. In 1994, he also forayed into the world of writing with the launch of his very own book aptly titled, "Forever Dobie: The Many Lives of Dwayne Hickman." Is there anything Hickman couldn't do? RIP.