Richard Roat, a character actor whose career stretched nearly 50 years and included a plethora of notable TV credits, has died. He was 89.
His passing, which occurred Aug. 5, was confirmed in an obituary in the Los Angeles Times. According to his IMDb page, Roat accrued 136 acting credits throughout his career, including roles on hit series such as “Seinfeld,” “Friends” and “24.” Roat also appeared in the famous episode of “The Golden Girls” as Betty White’s boyfriend who turns up dead in her bed one morning.
“As an individual, Richard was a true Renaissance Man. He loved music, playing the violin, the theatre, movies, literature, provocative conversation, and a good whiskey. Richard loved sports and would have been ecstatic that the Angels won on the Friday night he passed. He had a gorgeous smile, a naughty twinkle in his eyes, and loved to badinage with everyone,” his obituary reads.
Roat began his Hollywood career in 1962 with a recurring role as Dr. Jerry Chandler in the NBC soap opera “The Doctors.” He’d go on to appear in hit series such as “Dallas,” “Dynasty,” “Hill Street Blues,” “Murphy’s Law” and “Days of Our Lives.”
In addition to the screen, Roat also performed on Broadway. Credits include “Sunday in New York,” “Any Wednesday” and “The Wall.” He also often appeared at The Public Theater in New York, The Huntington Hartford Theater in Los Angeles and the Pasadena Playhouse.
“His greatest love was his family, with whom he shared his incredible sense of humor, intelligence, and unmatched zest for life,” his obituary read.
Roat and his wife Kathy recently celebrated their 40th anniversary.
