It’s unclear what illness actor Dick Gauiter suffered from. His daughter, Denise, told The Hollywood Reporter that her father died at his assisted living facility in Arcadia, California.
Hymie the Robot was an incredibly popular character on the 1960s spy spoof sitcom Get Smart, thanks to Dick’s incredible timing and background as a standup comic. Despite the fact that Dick only appeared as the robot in four episodes across six seasons, Hymie was clearly a fan favorite on the show.
While Get Smart gave him national fame, Dick was also a gifted theater star. He originated the legendary role of Conrad Birdie in the original Broadway production of Bye, Bye Birdie in 1960. Amazing! Dick said in a 2014 interview that he actually never really listened to Elvis before playing the character based on the King. But that made the satire funnier, and he was nominated for a Tony for his masterful performance.
Celebrity Deaths — Pics
After Get Smart, Dick starred in a number of TV and movie roles, including: Love, American Style, When Things Were Rotten, Fun with Dick and Jane, Fantasy Island, and Charlie’s Angels. He was a talented voice actor, as well, who made some of your favorite cartoons that much better. Dick voiced Serpentor on G.I. Joe, Rodimus Prime and Hot Rod in the Transformers cartoon, and multiple characters in The Smurfs, Yogi Bear, and A Pup Named Scooby Doo. He also did voices for Tom & Jerry, The Addams Family, Captain Planet, and even Cow and Chicken!
Dick leaves behind daughters Denise and Chris, and son Rand; grandchildren Darby, Brandon, Megan and Elisa; and great-grandchildren Reya, Bella, Odette, Jade, and Avery.
HollywoodLifers, our thoughts are with Dick’s family during this difficult time. Send them well wishes in the comments.