Over the course of his long career, Whitehead made numerous appearances in movies and television shows.
There has been a sad loss for the “Friends,” “Frasier,” and Broadway communities.
Paxton Whitehead, an English actor and playwright whose nearly 70-year career featured numerous parts in movies and sitcoms, passed away at the age of 85.
The Hollywood Reporter received confirmation from Whitehead’s son Charles that his father passed away on June 16 at an Arlington, Virginia, hospital.
After making his Broadway debut in “The Affair” in 1962, Whitehead went on to appear in a number of other Broadway productions, including “The Harlequin Studies,” “My Fair Lady,” and “The Crucifer of Blood,” among others. In 1978, he was awarded an honorary degree in the arts by Trent University, and two years later, he was nominated for a Tony for his performance in Camelot.
After landing guest roles in “Murder, She Wrote,” “Ellen,” “3rd Rock from the Sun,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Mad About You,” “Frasier,” and “Law and Order,” Whitehead went on to appear in dozens of television shows and movies over the course of his long career. In two episodes of “Friends,” he played Rachel’s boss at Bloomingdale’s opposite Jennifer Aniston.
Whitehead kept performing on stage into his later years, his final performance occurring in 2014. He continued to work in both Broadway and regional theater.
The English actor Jim Piddock posted a tribute shortly after his friend passed away to pay respect to his memory.
He wrote on Twitter on June 19 that he was “heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of my dear friend and mentor Paxton Whitehead.”. He was an exceptional actor, a wise friend, and an all-around wonderful person. He was incredibly important to a lot of people and made everyone he came into contact with smile. ”.
