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TV Dad Alan Thicke Has Died at 69

By Dustin Rowles | Miscellaneous | December 13, 2016 |

By Dustin Rowles | Miscellaneous | December 13, 2016 |


Alan Thicke, best known for his role as Dr. Jason Seaver for seven seasons on sitcom Growing Pains, has passed away today. He suffered a fatal heart attack, reportedly while playing hockey with his son.

In addition to his work on Growing Pains, Thicke composed two of the most memorable TV theme songs of the 1980s, for Facts of Life and Different Strokes, and the original score for Wheel of Fortune. He has also served as a talk show host and a game show host. He spent most of his post-Growing Pains years playing roles that traded-in on his family-friendliness, like Robin’s Dad in This Is Us or, most recently, roles in This Is Us and Fuller House. He also benefited greatly from personal appearances in the latter half of his career, jokingly referring to himself as the “the affordable Shatner,” appearing for events declined by William Shatner.

He also always seemed like a really swell guy.