'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' Gunther actor no more among us. Rest in peace!
Actor James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther in the iconic show F.R.I.E.N.D.S, is no more among us. He was 59. He died "peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on Sunday morning," said his manager. In June, we had learned that Tyler was battling prostate cancer since 2018. That time, the cancer had progressed to stage four, which eventually had attacked his bones too.
Tyler is survived by his wife, informed his manager's statement
"If you met him once you made a friend for life," the statement from his manager read. It further said that he is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno, "the love of his life." While talking of his cancer, Tyler had eerily predicted that "it's gonna probably get me," but he still wanted to share his story to save "just one life."
'Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show'
As soon as the news spread, tributes started pouring in from his F.R.I.E.N.D.S co-stars and other colleagues. "Friends would not have been the same without you. Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed #JamesMichaelTyler," wrote Jennifer Aniston. Notably, Tyler's character was in love with Aniston's Rachel on the show.
Tyler's cancer prevented him from joining reunion episode of 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S'
Meanwhile, Courteney Cox, who played Rachel's best friend Monica Geller on the NCB sitcom, wrote, "The size of gratitude you brought into the room and showed every day on set is the size of the gratitude I hold for having known you. Rest In peace James." To note, Tyler couldn't join the cast for the reunion episode, broadcast in May, because of his cancer.
He's also known for 'The Gesture and the Word,' 'Processing'
Gunther was the manager of Central Perk, where the six friends hung out. He appeared in 150 episodes of the show. "It was the most memorable 10 years of my life...I could not have imagined just a better experience," the actor had said on the reunion episode via Zoom. Tyler is also known for his performances in The Gesture and the Word and Processing.
