Twin Peaks actor Warren Frost dies at 91

Warren Frost, the actor best known for his role in the original and upcoming Twin Peaks, died Friday in Middlebury, Virginia after a lengthy illness. He was 91.

The actor, who served in the Navy during World War 2, originated the role of Dr. Will Hayward in the 1990 ABC drama Twin Peaks and came out of retirement last year to reprise the part on Showtime. The new version, which was co-created by Frost’s son Mark, will premiere in May.

“We’re saddened today to announce the passing of our dear old dad, Warren Frost,” Mark Frost said in a statement on Friday. “From the Normandy shores on D-Day to his 50-year career on stage and screen, he remained the same humble guy from Vermont who taught us that a life devoted to telling the right kind of truths can make a real difference in the lives of others. We’re grateful to have shared him with the world for as long as we did.”

The Massachusetts-born actor dabbled in theater and behind-the-camera work in New York City before moving to Los Angeles to take up acting again — first on shows like Dragnet and later as a regular on CBS’ As The World Turns. His busiest decade was the ’90s, when he joined Twin Peaks in 1990 and Seinfeld in 1992 as Mr. Ross, the father of George Costanza’s fiancée, Susan. He also recurred on Matlock, and made several appearances on shows like The Larry Sanders Show, Murphy Brown, Life Goes On, and L.A. Law.

Frost is survived by his wife of 68 years, Virginia, and his three children — author and producer Mark Frost, novelist and photographer Scott Frost, and actress and artist Lindsay Frost — as well as three grandchildren.