Photo: Fred Sabine /American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images
Richard Roat, a prolific character actor who had memorable roles on television shows spanning nearly 50 years, has died. He was 89.
The actor passed away on Aug. 5 in Orange County, California, according to his obituary in theLos Angeles Times.
Roat got his start in the industry in the early 1960s, landing a recurring role as Dr. Jerry Chandler on the NBC soap operaThe Doctorsin 1962.
In the 90s, he added a new audience to his credits with memorable roles onSeinfeld, as Dr. Berg, the doctor who found Elaine to be “a difficult patient,” and onFriendsas a college professor who busted Ross for dating a student.
Besides performing on Broadway in productions such asSunday in New York,Any WednesdayandThe Wall, Roat also appeared at The Public Theatre in Central Park inJulius Caesar, The Huntington Hartford Theatre in Los Angeles (Boys in the Band) and the Pasadena Playhouse (Moon Over Buffalo), perIMDb.
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Away from the stage the Connecticut-born Roat also forged a five-decade-long career as an entertainment tax preparer. A whiskey aficionado, he had a love for music and played the violin, added his obituary.
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The avid Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Angels fan was also married to his wife Kathy for 40 years.
“His greatest love was his family, with whom he shared his incredible sense of humor, intelligence, and unmatched zest for life,” Roat’s family wrote in his obituary.
source: people.com
