Actor Gerrit Graham has left for his heavenly abode at the age of 76. He was best known in the industry for his work on the horror-comedy musical titled ‘Phantom of the Paradise,’ among many other projects over the years.
Gerrit Graham passes away at 76
Graham passed away on September 15 in New York. The actor had been suffering from lung disease at the time of his death. A post on his Facebook handle read, “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Gerrit Graham – a beloved father, grandfather, devoted friend, and legendary character actor. Gerrit passed away peacefully on September 15th, comforted by the presence of his two sons at his side. He is also survived by his brother Sam Graham.”
Facebook post about Gerrit Graham’s passing on September 15. (Facebook)
The statement also confirmed that Graham was surrounded by his loved ones at the time of his passing and that both of his sons stayed by his side till the very end. They added, “Gerrit worked passionately until health concerns eventually called him into retirement. He will be remembered not only for the brilliance, wit, and depth he brought to his craft, but also for the love and devotion he shared with his family and friends. He is survived by his two sons, his grandchildren, and a lasting legacy of unforgettable art.”
Tributes pour in for Gerrit Graham
Under the official post announcing his demise, fans and netizens alike shared their tributes for the late actor, remembering him for his personality and his work in the industry. One person wrote, “I was lucky enough to meet him, show him my Beef outfit, and even show him a video of me performing as Beef for Life at Last when we did a floor show of it. He was sweet as could be and even gave me a Gerrit Graham approval. Very sad he’s gone. You were definitely somebody, Super,” while another person shared, “12 years ago I got to meet Mr. Graham. He was so unbelievably humble and kind. To say he was a great and distinguished man is an understatement. Condolences.”Another netizen wrote in the comment sections, “Severely underrated character actor, and Franklin Sherman was easily one of the funniest animated characters of the 1990s,” while a fourth person added, “Oh man. That’s terrible. He was awesome. I met him a few years ago at a convention. I asked him where the pics (to sign) of him as the devil in national lampoons’ favorite sins are. He said, ‘Oh, that would be a good one!’ I’m very sorry to read this…”
Who was Gerrit Graham?
The beloved actor appeared in a lot of projects over the course of his career in the film industry. This included ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ and ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,’ as well as ‘Greetings,’ ‘My Girl 2,’ ‘Child’s Play 2,’ and ‘Used Cars.’Over the course of his career in the entertainment industry, Graham worked as an American stage actor, television actor, and film actor, as well as a scriptwriter and songwriter. He was born on November 27, 1949, in New York City. During his early years, he attended Columbia University; however, he never completed his course there and instead was inspired to start acting full-time. He soon dropped out of Columbia. His first project was ‘Greetings,’ after which he starred in ‘Hi Mom’ by Brian De Palma, who was also in the same college as he was.Graham also dabbled in music and worked with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead to release the song ‘Victim or the Crime.’ It was released on October 31, 1989.
