Happy Days Actor Warren Berlinger Dead at 83

Broadway actor Warren Berlinger, who was best known for his role in 1981’s The Cannonball Run beside Burt Reynolds and Roger Moore, has died at the age of 83.

His daughter Elizabeth Berlinger Tarantini shared the news that her father died at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, California on Wednesday, but did not reveal his cause of death.

Born in 1937, Berlinger was a career actor since childhood, when he appeared in the Broadway classic Annie Get Your Gun for a three-year stretch, begining at the tender age of nine.

Warren Berlinger, Happy Days and Cannonball Run actor, dies at 83 https://t.co/XbRoD9mrWl pic.twitter.com/k9VQ99C4hm

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He hopped between the stage and taking guest starring stints on Hollywood sitcoms, performing in Broadway shows A Roomful of Roses and Blue Denim, while doing episodes of Gunsmoke and Gomer Pyle: USMC.

“His favorite role on stage was J. Pierrepont in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” Tarantini commented, “but I don’t know anyone who succeeded in life more than my dad. Everyone who met him loved him, everyone.”

Berlinger broke into film roles in the 1970s, appearing in Elliot Gould starrer The Long Goodbye, 1981’s The Cannonball Run, and That Thing You Do! beside Tom Hanks.

The meat of his career was memorable guest starring roles in classic television shows The Dukes of Hazzard, Charlie’s Angels, Dynasty, and Murder, She Wrote.

Happy Days actor Henry Winkler paid tribute to the late actor, who was so well liked, he scored five different roles on the show. “I saw COME BLOW YOUR HORN and Warren was just wonderful ..then he came and guest starred on HAPPY DAYS ..I am so glad I got to know you …RIP Warren,” the former Fonz tweeted.

In his later acting years Berlinger booked guest roles on Columbo, Picket Fences, and Friends. In his final appearance, he played opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in a 2016 episode of Grace and Frankie.