‘Dobie Gillis,’ ‘Bewitched’ Actor Steve Franken Dead at 80

Steve Franken's later roles included the 2009 film "Angels & Demons"

Steve Franken, the actor who portrayed playboy dilettante Chatsworth Osborne Jr. on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" and multiple characters on "Bewitched," died Friday, Franken's agent told TheWrap. He was 80.

Franken had been battling cancer, his wife Jean told the New York Times.

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Born in Brooklyn, Franken was discovered by "Gillis" producer Rod Amateau while performing in a Los Angeles stage production of "Say Anything." His portrayal of Osborne was followed by a decades-long career that found Franken landing roles on a multitude of television series, including "Bewitched," on which he played various characters, including Cousin Henry and Orvis.

Franken also acted in films — most notably, in the 1968 Peter Sellers film "The Party," in which he played the increasingly inebriated waiter Levinson.

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More recently, Franken appeared in 2009's "Angels & Demons," playing Cardinal Colbert.

 

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