Actor James Michael Tyler aka Gunther from 'Friends' dies at 59

Actor James Michael Tyler who essayed the role of Gunther, the coffee shop manager in popular US sitcom 'Friends' died at age of 59 on Sunday.

The actor had been battling prostate cancer since 2018 and died at his residence in Los Angeles.

Tyler had appeared briefly in 1990s series like "Just Shoot Me!" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" before being cast as a background character in the second episodes of "Friends" in 1994.

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Over the show's 10-year-run, he became the most frequently recurring guest star on the series.

The character also had a secret crush on Rachael who served as a waitress at Central Perk, essayed by Jennifer Anniston in the Friends series.

Paying tribute to Tyler, Jennifer Aniston wrote on her Instagram page: "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."

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Tyler's manager in a statement said, "If you met him once, you made a friend for life."

James also made a brief appearance on the 'Friends Reunion' special earlier this year. He had shared that his time on the sets of 'Friends' was the most memorable time of his life.