Alan Thicke, a Canadian singer, songwriter and an actor best known for helping set a template for parenting ideals in the ’80s sitcom “Growing Pains,” has died. He was 69. According to TMZ, he reportedly died of a heart attack after being transported to Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center. He had been reportedly playing hockey with his 19-year-old son Carter.
Mr. Thicke had a genial warmth that he projected across all of his television work, most memorably on “Growing Pains,” which ran from 1985 to 1992. He played a psychiatrist, Dr. Jason Seaver, a classic 1980s formulation of the reassuring father, and solved everyone’s problems with a warm homily by the end of each 30-minute episode.
“The good thing was that he was beloved and he had closure,” said Robin Thicke, who credited his dad, an accomplished musician himself, with being an inspiration and very supportive of his music career. “I saw him a few days ago and told him how much I loved and respected him.”
The actor was most recently in Whistler, British Columbia, on Monday, December 12, and tweeted about Fuller House season 2 early Tuesday afternoon.
“Season 2 Fuller House looking good,” Thicke tweeted. “I even like the ones I’m not in! #fullerhouse.”
The Canadian-born star composed music and served as a producer before making a name for himself as a talk show host in Canada from 1980 to 1983 starring on The Alan Thicke Show.
Thicke, who received his first Emmy nomination for The Barry Manilow Special in 1977, went on to host popular shows in the 90s such as Pictionary and Three’s a Crowd. The actor also starred in films The Growing Pains Movie and Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers. He recently made an appearance on NBC’s hit new show This Is Us.
His career included stints as a talk-show host (his “Thicke of the Night” lasted from 1983-84), a soap opera star (he appeared on “The Bold and the Beautiful” as the talk show host Rich Ginger) and a game show host. He also played himself in appearances on the television show “How I Met Your Mother.”
He was nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards and for a Golden Globe Award in 1988 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy/Musical series for “Growing Pains.” He was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 1998 for Outstanding Audience Participation/Game Show for “Pictionary.”
Thicke leaves behind his wife, Tanya, and adult children Brennan, Robin and Carter Thicke. He was previously married twice before to Gloria Loring and Gina Tolleson.