LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Canadian actor Alan Thicke, best known for his portrayal of the fatherly Dr. Jason Seaver in the 1980s sitcom "Growing Pains" has died of an apparent heart attack. He was 69.
According to Los Angeles's KTLA, Thicke and his youngest son, Carter, had gone to Pickwick Gardens on Riverside Drive in Burbank to play hockey when Thicke collapsed.
“Today I lost my best friend and my idol, and the world lost one of its finest,” Carter Thicke wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. “I have never known a more kind, loving, hairy, and generous person in my life and I am forever grateful for the light that this man brought to my life and so many others. You will be missed every second of every day. You are a legend and I love you Pops. Until next time.”
While Thicke's greatest success came with growing pains, he also several talk shows, including Thicke Of The Night, a syndicated show that sought to challenge the then dominant Johnny Carson. The show featured regulars such as Richard Belzer, Gilbert Gottfried, and Arsenio Hall, but only lasted for one season.
More successfully, Thicke hosted The Alan Thicke Show, a daytime talk show on Canadian television that lasted for three years and spawned a brief prime-time edition.
More recently, Thicke landed a guest starring role in "Fuller House," the Netflix revival of the classic 80s sitcom "Full House."
Thicke's Survivors include his wife Tanya and sons Brennan, Carter and "Blurred Lines" singer Robin. – Staff Writers
