'Phantom Of The Paradise' Actor, Gerrit Graham Passed Away At 77, What Was The Cause Of His Death?

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Veteran actor, screenwriter, and songwriter Gerrit Graham passed away at the age of 77 in Rhinebeck, New York. The actor drew attention for his appearances in several films by Brian De Palma. In addition to appearing in several movies and TV shows, Gerrit was also a screenwriter and songwriter who collaborated with Bob Weir and co-wrote songs for The Grateful Dead. 

According to reports, his ex-wife, Dede Taylor, confirmed the news of his passing to The Hollywood Reporter. Gerrit's passing sparked grief in the entertainment industry. He had been in the entertainment industry for several years, and he also had a Star Trek connection. In his personal life, he was married once to Deborah 'Dede' Taylor.

The couple reportedly got married in 1972, and eventually parted ways. They shared two sons, Jack and Henry. Gerrit is survived by his four grandkids, Nolan, Micah, Vera, and Joey; his brother, Sam; and his sons, Jack and Henry, along with their wives, Talia and Joelle.

What was the reason for Gerrit Graham's passing at the age of 77?

The official cause of Gerrit Graham's death has not been revealed. However, Variety reported that the actor was suffering from lung disease, along with other age-related ailments. Further details about his health issues haven't been revealed as of now. Dede Taylor, his ex-wife, however, told The Hollywood Reporter that he passed away due to the complications caused by his lung disease.

Gerrit Graham's early life and career

Gerrit was born in 1948 and grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, St. Louis, and Chicago. While he attended Columbia University, he didn't graduate from there. He was the head of the college theatre company, the Columbia Players. During Graham's undergraduate years, his collaborator, Brian De Palma, was also a manager of the theatre company. He began his career by appearing in movies like Used Cars, TerrorVision, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, and Child's Play 2.

Following that, he collaborated with Brian De Palma and worked on Greetings. Gerrit and Brian De Palma continued to collaborate on several other movies, such as Hi, Mom! and Home Movies, as well as Phantom of the Paradise. Phantom of the Paradise was one of the most remarkable projects of Gerrit, where he played the role of 'Beef', the flamboyant rockstar. Gerrit grabbed everyone's attention with his screen presence, and his physical comedy brought the real essence to the on-screen character. 

Gerrit was also seen in projects like Seinfeld, Laverne and Shirley, and The Wonder Years. The actor appeared in two different roles in Star Trek. He was seen as the alien hunter of Tosk on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and following that, he appeared as a member of the 'Q Continuum' in one of the episodes of Star Trek: Voyager.

If reports are to be believed, in the later years of his career, after stepping away from the limelight, he moved from California to Rhinebeck to take care of his mother. Reportedly, he spent three decades in the Hudson Valley, where he volunteered for the Burger Hill Preservation Society. Speaking about his career as a screenwriter, Gerrit Graham also contributed to projects like The Little Mermaid, Oliver & Company, some episodes of The Twilight Zone, and Prince and the Pauper.

We wish Gerrit Graham's family strength during this tough time.

Photo Courtesy: Instagram

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