Steve Franken Dead, Twitter Mourns 'Dobie Gillis' Actor
Veteran actor Steve Franken who starred on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" has died at age 80.
During his 50-year-career, Franken worked alongside some of the past's biggest stars including Jerry Lewis, Peter Sellers, and Barbara Eden.
Franken's wife, Jean, confirmed that the actor died of cancer in Los Angeles on Aug. 24, but did not specify the type of cancer, according to The New York Times.
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The Brooklyn, New York native was best known for his role as Chatsworth Osborne Jr. on the aforementioned CBS series "Dobie Gillis," where he portrayed a wealthy friend of the title lead character.
Franken went on to appear on "Tom, Dick, and Mary" and later "Bewitched" as he solidified himself as a television and film character actor.
His film credits include "The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu," "Which Way to the Front?", "Hardly Working," and "The Americanization of Emily," among others.
Over the course of his career, Franken often lent his voice to several projects, including the "Law & Order" computer games as well as the short-lived animated series "Road Rovers," to name a few.
Following the news of his death, many fans posted messages in honor of Franken on Friday.
"I can't believe that Chatsworth Osborne Jr (aka Steve Franken) from my favorite TV show, Dobie Gillis, has passed away," posted John.
Travis wrote, "Character actor Steven Franken passed away recently. When you watch enough movies and shows, you appreciate people like him RIP Steve."
"RIP Steve Franken of many films & TV shows," wrote Peter. "Memorable as Levinson the drunken waiter in Blake Edwards' THE PARTY.'"
Twitter user Twitchy posted, "Sad news- Steve Franken. He was such a friendly and funny guy, working until the end."
Franken is survived by his wife and their daughter, Anne, as well as two daughters from his marriage to ex-wife Julia Carter- Emily Franken and Abigail Glass. He also had two grandchildren, according to The Times.
