The Tragic Death Of Friends And Seinfeld Actor Richard Roat

Prolific television actor Richard Roat died at age 89 on August 5, the Los Angeles Times reported. The only detail released about his death was that it was sudden. His survivors include his wife of 40 years, Kathy.

The Connecticut native's entertainment career spanned almost five decades, with one of his most notable roles coming just one year after it began. From 1963 to 1964, he played Dr. Jerry Chandler in over 100 episodes of the television series "The Doctors." Roat would continue racking up credits with smaller parts in popular series including "Hawaii Five-O," "Columbo," and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," establishing himself as an in-demand character actor. In the '70s, he scored roles on "The F.B.I.," "Dallas," and the "Westworld" movie, just to name a few of the nearly four dozen projects he worked on during that decade.

In the '80s, Roat made multiple appearances on "Hill Street Blues" and "Dynasty," while '90s and '00s audiences might best know him for his sitcom work. As noted by Deadline, he played a professor who discovered that Ross (David Schwimmer) was romantically involved with a student on an episode of "Friends," and on "Seinfeld," he portrayed a doctor Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) visited while trying to get a rash treated. Per his Los Angeles Times obituary, fans of "The Golden Girls" might also remember Roat for appearing alongside the late Betty White as a beau of Rose's who died during an overnight stay.

Richard Roat's lengthy list of acting credits also includes appearances in the Broadway productions of "Come On Strong" and "Sunday in New York" in the early '60s, per Playbill. According to his Los Angeles Times obituary, he had a second job as an accountant that lasted just as long as his career in the entertainment industry, which concluded in 2009 with a role in "24." On Facebook, some users revealed that Roat had prepared their taxes.

Roat was remembered as a sports fan who rooted for LA teams, specifically the Angels and the Lakers. He also could play the violin and had an appreciation for whiskey.

Some of those who knew the late actor paid tribute to him on Facebook. A post written by one of his friends read, "RIP Richard Roat and Lennie Hughes, two of the most generous, kind-hearted, loving people I have ever known. I will miss you both terribly, as I know your families will, as well. There are no words." In another post, one of Roat's employees revealed that his wife planned on keeping his tax accounting business running. "My boss, the most supportive friend a person in the entertainment industry could ever have, Richard Roat, passed away suddenly," the tribute read. "He leaves behind a legacy of love and laughter and a business that will continue to flourish." RIP.