‘Friends’ star James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther, dead at 59
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By Kelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
LOS ANGELES — Actor James Michael Tyler, beloved for his portrayal of recurring “Friends” character Gunther, died Sunday morning following a three-year battle with prostate cancer, multiple media outlets reported.
“Michael’s loved ones knew him as an actor, musician, cancer-awareness advocate and loving husband,” Tyler’s manager said in a prepared statement. “Michael loved live music, cheering on his Clemson Tigers and would often find himself in fun and unplanned adventures. If you met him once, you made a friend for life.”
Tyler, whom his manager said died peacefully at his Los Angeles home, disclosed his Stage 4 prostate cancer status earlier this year during an interview on the “Today” show.
Tyler, who played Central Perk barista Gunther on the hit show, held the distinction as the hit show’s most frequent recurring guest star throughout its 10-year run, People magazine reported.
In addition to “Friends,” Tyler had various guest-starring roles on TV shows, including “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “Scrubs,” while also playing the lead character in the series “Modern Music,” the entertainment news magazine reported.
According to People, Tyer also starred in two short films, “The Gesture and the Word” and “Processing,” while undergoing treatment, earning best actor nods at “multiple film festivals” for the roles.
Earlier this year, Tyler’s spoken word performance of Stephan Kalinich’s poem “If You Knew” was adapted into a short video to help raise awareness for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Variety reported.
Tyler is survived by his wife, Jennifer Carno.
James Michael Tyler Actor James Michael Tyler, known for his role as Gunther from the television show "Friends," sits on a couch inside a temporary "pop up" reproduction of the "Central Perk" coffee shop a center piece set of the television situation comedy in New York September 15, 2014. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 22, 1994, premiere of "Friends," the Eight O'Clock Coffee Company, a subsidiary of Tata Global Beverages and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. subsidiary, will open "Central Perk" to the public from September 17, through October 18, and serve free coffee. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler James Midgley, Jenni Falconer and James Michael Tyler attend a party to celebrate 15 years of "Friends" on Sept. 23, 2009, in London, England. (Jon Furniss/WireImage)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler promotes "Friends: The Complete Series" On Blu-ray at the NBC Experience Store on Nov. 14, 2012, in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/WireImage) (Eugene Gologursky/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler Actor James Michael Tyler attends the celebrity preview of final episode of "Friends" on May 26, 2004, at the cc Club, in London. The final episode aired in the U.S. on May 6th and in the UK May 28th. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images) (Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler attends the launch of Friendsfest at The Boiler House,The Old Truman Brewery, on September 15, 2015, in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage) (Mike Marsland/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler Peaches Geldof and James Michael Tyler attend a party to celebrate 15 years of "Friends" on Sept. 23, 2009, in London, England. (Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage) (Jon Furniss/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler promotes "Friends: The Complete Series" On Blu-ray at the NBC Experience Store on November 14, 2012, in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/WireImage) (Eugene Gologursky/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler Richard Jones, Sophie Ellis Bextor and James Michael Tyler attend a party to celebrate 15 years of "Friends" on Sept. 23, 2009, in London, England. (Jon Furniss/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler Actor James Michael Tyler attends the celebrity preview of final episode of "Friends" on May 26, 2004, at the cc Club, in London. The final episode aired in the U.S. on May 6th and in the UK May 28th. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images) (Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler VV Brown and James Michael Tyler attend a party to celebrate 15 years of "Friends" on Sept. 23, 2009, in London, England. (Jon Furniss/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler Chantelle Houghton and James Michael Tyler attend a party to celebrate 15 years of "Friends" on Sept. 23, 2009, in London, England. (Jon Furniss/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler during "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" UK Premiere - Arrivals at Leicester Square in London, Great Britain. (Photo by Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage) (Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler Actor James Michael Tyler - who played Gunther in Friends - arrives for the UK premiere of "Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban" at the Odeon Leicester Square in Central London, the third film from author JK Rowling's series of books on the boy wizard. (Photo by Ian West - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images) (Ian West - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler American actor James Michael Tyler, who played the owner of the Central Perk cafe in the TV series "Friends," stands behind of the counter of the Friends Cafe in New York City, USA, 15 Sept. 2014. The Cafe Central Perk will be opened by Warner Bros Studios on Lafayette Street 199 in Soho on 17 September to mark the 20th anniversary of the succesful TV series Friends. Photo: SIMON BROLL/dpa | usage worldwide (Photo by Simon Broll/picture alliance via Getty Images) (picture alliance/picture alliance via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler FRIENDS -- Season 10 -- Pictured: James Michael Tyler as Gunther (Photo by NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images) (NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler, Robin Cursi,of Daimler Chrysler Remarketing and Matthew Perry (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler during The First Annual "Red Party" To Benefit The Life Through Art Foundation at Private residence in Holmby Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage) (Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler and Kimberley Walsh attend a party to celebrate 15 years of "Friends" on Sept. 23, 2009, in London, England. (Jon Furniss/WireImage via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler FRIENDS -- "The One Where Emma Cries" -- Episode 2 -- Aired 10/3/2002-- Pictured: (l-r) James Michael Tyler as Gunther, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller -- Photo by: Danny Feld/NBCU Photo Bank (NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
James Michael Tyler Matt Horn and James Michael Tyler attend a party to celebrate 15 years of "Friends" on Sept. 23, 2009, in London, England. (Jon Furniss/WireImage)
James Michael Tyler James Michael Tyler during The Lili Claire Foundation's 6th Annual Benefit Hosted by Matthew Perry - Red Carpet Arrivals at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images)