Whitehead made numerous film and television appearances during the course of his lengthy career.

The “Friends,” “Frasier,” and Broadway communities have lost a beloved member.

At the age of 85, Paxton Whitehead, an English actor and playwright who had a nearly 70-year career that includes various roles in comedies and movies, passed suddenly.

Whitehead’s son Charles confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that his father passed away on June 16 at a hospital in Arlington, Virginia.

Whitehead made his Broadway debut in the 1962 production of “The Affair” and went on to appear in numerous other Broadway productions, such as “The Harlequin Studies,” “My Fair Lady,” and “The Crucifer of Blood.” He received an honorary degree in the arts from Trent University in 1978, and two years later he was nominated for a Tony for his work in Camelot.

Throughout the course of his protracted career, Whitehead appeared in a number of films and television shows, including “Murder, She Wrote,” “Ellen,” “3rd Rock from the Sun,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Mad About You,” “Frasier,” and “Law & Order.” He also appeared in two episodes of “Friends” alongside Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Bloomingdale’s boss.

In his later years, Whitehead continued to play on Broadway and in local theaters; his final performance occurred in 2014.

Shortly after his friend’s passing, English actor Jim Piddock posted a monument to honor his memory.

On June 19, he tweeted the following: “Heartbroken to learn the passing of my great friend and mentor Paxton Whitehead. He was a great actor, a smart friend, and a lovely person all around. He was so cherished by so many people, and he never failed to make people smile.