Iconic Actor Wilford Brimley Dies At 85

Iconic actor Wilford Brimley, known for advertisements for the Quaker Oats Company, diabetes education for Liberty Medical, and roles in The China Syndrome (1979), The Thing (1982), and more, has passed away at age 85.

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“Wilford Brimley was a man you could trust,” Brimley’s manager Lynda Bensky said. “He said what he meant and he meant what he said. He had a tough exterior and a tender heart. I’m sad that I will no longer get to hear my friend’s wonderful stories. He was one of a kind.”

Brimley was on dialysis and suffered from multiple medical issues, Bensky explained. He died in an intensive care unit in St. George, Utah.

“It is with sadness that I let everyone know that we lost an icon today,” Dominic Mancini, a longtime friend of Brimley’s wrote on Twitter. “To know Wilford, was to love Wilford. He had an amazing career, and sliced through the screen with his dry wit, stoic stature, and powerful conveyance. His unique blend of unexpected comedy and indelible storytelling will always remain unmatched.

“Thank you, Wilford, — what a thrill it was, thanks for the laughs, the love, and the adventure. Rest easy my friend.”

He is survived by his wife Beverly and three sons.

[Via]