TV and film actor Richard Roat (Friends, Days of Our Lives) has died at the age of 89, Deadline reports. Roat’s family confirmed he had passed on August 5th. Roat appeared in over 130 roles spanning several decades, with his last coming on an episode of Fox’s 24 in 2009. He is survived by his wife, Kathy, whom he married over 40 years ago.
Roat was born a day short of July 4 in 1933 in Hartford, CT, via Deadline. By 1962 he coveted his first TV role on the NBC soap opera, The Doctors. Roat portrayed Dr. Jerry Chandler for 170 episodes as the series ran for 20 years. As his career entered the next decade, Roat would become a prolific character actor appearing in shows such as The Fugitive, Mary Tyler Moore, Columbo, Cannon, Kojack, The Bob Newhart Show, Charlie’s Angels, Vega$, Fantasy Island, and Police Story.
He continued his streak in television’s Golden Age, with Deadline listing roles on shows such as Dallas, The Golden Girls, a recurring role on Hill Street Blues, Matlock, LA Law, and Hart to Hart. He also had a stint on Days of Our Lives from 1985 to 1991, as Professor Henry Moore.
Many know his face for singular roles on 90s sitcoms. Per Deadline, Roat was in a season eight episode of Seinfeld entitled “The Package,” portraying one of the doctors who referred to Elaine Benes as a “difficult patient.” And on the hangout comedy, Cheers, he played Norm’s boss, Mr. Hecht, who promotes Norm to the unfortunate role of firing his co-workers. He continued acting into the new millennium, with a role on a 2000 episode of Friends. Here he played a professor opposite David Schwimmer’s (Madagascar, Band of Brothers) Ross who warns him about sleeping with one of his students.
According to Deadline, Roat also graced the silver screen and stage in his decades-long career. In the 1970s, he appeared in features Westworld, Corvette Summer, American Hot Wax, and 1978’s made-for-TV movie, Almost Heaven. He also acted on Broadway and in theaters both in New York and Los Angeles, including The Public Theatre in Central Park and the Pasadena Playhouse. Along with his acting career, he practiced as an entertainment tax preparer for over 50 years.