Actor Fred Willard attends the 50th anniversary screening of In The Heat Of The Night at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival opening night gala. Photo / Getty Images
Fred Willard, beloved actor and comedian, has died, aged 86.
"My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old," his daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement.
"He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."
Colleagues and friends of the actor have been sharing tributes online and mourning the loss together.
Willard's career included more than 300 projects, and he was perhaps mostly known for his roles in Best in Show and A Mighty Wind.
Most recently, he'd played Phil Dunphy's father Frank in the hit comedy series Modern Family.
The comedian, a master of the mockumentary genre, died of natural causes.
"A four-time Emmy nominee radiated a unique charm that established him as one of our generation's most gifted comic actors," Willard's rep wrote in a tribute.
"A master of sketch comedy, Fred was most heralded for his quick wit and improvisational expertise, which he demonstrated in hundreds of appearances on stage, on the big screen, and on a wide range of television shows."
The director donned gumboots and a Russell Crowe T-shirt to get the festivities started.