'Alice' star Marvin Kaplan dies at 89

Marvan Kaplan, best known for playing Henry Beesmeyer on the sitcom "Alice" has passed away. He was 89.

Theatre West, an organisation for artistes in Burbank, has confirmed that Kaplan died of natural causes on Wednesday, reported Variety.

"It is with a sad and heavy heart to inform you our very own Marvin Kaplan passed away today at 5 am in his sleep. We loved Marvin. He will truly be missed," the organisation said.

Born in Brooklyn in 1927, Kaplan began his film career with the 1949 romantic comedy "Adam's Rib." Known for his sarcasm, Kaplan worked in various movies, TV shows and animated series throughout his career, which spanned over 60 years.

Kaplan's voice became popular among children after he worked on "Top Cat." He gave his voice to Choo-Choo on the 1960s animated series. He also voiced characters on "Garfield and Friends," "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters," and "Johnny Bravo."

Apart from "Top Cat," Kaplan was well-known for his recurring role on the CBS series "Alice," where he portrayed a phone lineman named Henry Beesmeye.

Among other roles, Kaplan co-starred in the 1965 Blake Edwards comedy "The Great Race." He also made a brief appearance as a carpet cleaner in the 1976 film "Freaky Friday."

Kaplan was a dedicated theatre artist, who had performed in many plays, and and was a member of Theatre West for decades. He was also an accomplished playwright and screenwriter.

A memorial service will be held at the theatre company. A date and time has yet to be announced.