Jack Riley, Mr. Carlin on ‘The Bob Newhart Show,’ dies at 80

Deadline reports that the actor succumbed to pneumonia and infection in Los Angeles on Friday.

In a statement, stand-up comedian and actor Bob Newhart said that Riley created one of television’s “most endearing” situation comedy characters with the portrayal of Carlin. He called Riley a “dear friend”. He is survived by his wife, Ginger Lawrence, and their two children.

A Cleveland native, Riley began his career as a regular on the 1962-63 ABC sitcom Occasional Wife, which was narrated by Vin Scully.

He was also a voice actor for the iconic Nickelodeon character in “Rugrats” for over a decade starting in 1991. People reported he joined the show in 1972, and his addition helped the already stellar ensemble cast gel.

The Different Strokes star also appeared in Seinfeld, as well as Baywatch, and from 2000 to 2002 he starred as Chappy in the TV series Son of the Beach.

BY 1985, he reprised his Bob Newhart’s patient’s role on the NBC medical series St. Riley appeared in five of Brooks” films throughout the “80s, including “High Anxiety”, “History of the World: Part I” and “To Be or Not to Be;” he also had a cameo in “Spaceballs”. His role on Nickelodeon animation Rugrats as absent-minded dad Stu made his voice recognized among a new generation in the 1990s. He voiced 143 episodes of the original series through 2005, and 18 episodes of the “Rugrats” spin-off “All Grown Up” until 2007.