James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on ‘Friends,’ dies

NEW YORK (AP) – James Michael Tyler, the actor best known for his role as Gunther on the series “Friends,” has died. He was 59 years old.

Tyler died at his Los Angeles residence of prostate cancer, said his representative, Toni Benson. He was diagnosed with advanced stage disease in 2018.

“The world knew him as Gunther (the seventh friend) from the hit series ‘Friends,’ but Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer activist and loving husband,” Benson wrote. “Michael loved live music, cheering for the Clemson Tigers, and often found himself on fun, unplanned adventures.”

Tyler appeared briefly on series of the 1990s such as “Just Shoot Me!” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” before landing the supporting role in the second episode of “Friends,” in 1994. He became the series’ most recurring guest star as Gunther, the Central Perk coffee shop barista whose affection for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) was not reciprocated.

Tyler landed the role while working as a barista at the Bourgeois Pig coffee shop in Los Angeles. He did not have a dialogue on “Friends” until his 33rd appearance on the show, according to the book “Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era” by Saul Austerlitz, published in 2019. Of the 236 episodes of the series , Tyler appeared in 150 of them.

Warner Bros. Television, which produced the series, mourned the passing of Tyler, “a beloved actor and an integral part of our ‘Friends’ family.”

Once “Friends” came to an end in 2004, Tyler had appearances on “Scrubs” and “Modern Music,” and he played himself in an episode of Matt LeBlanc’s “Episodes” series in 2012.

After being diagnosed with cancer, Tyler starred in two short films while undergoing treatment and made a recording of Stephan Kalinch’s poem “If You Knew” to help raise awareness of the disease for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

He is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno.