Richard Erdman, Community’s Leonard, Dead Aged 93

Beloved actor of over seven decades of movies and television, Richard Erdman, has passed away at the age of 93.

Richard Erdman had roles in an enormous range of projects, from The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Stalag 17, to Tora! Tora! Tora!, Where’s Raymond?, Anything Goes, I Dream of Jeannie and The Beverly Hillbillies. He was most well-known to contemporary audiences as Leonard in the cult-classic sitcom Community – an octogenarian student who refused to leave college.

Community’s stars have paid tribute to the actor on social media, with Joel McHale writing: “Such a good & funny man. We’ll miss you ‘Leonard’.”

Yvette Nicole Brown also wrote on Twitter: “I knew the day we’d have to say goodbye to this lovely man would come sooner than any of us were ready. But knowing that doesn’t make it any easier. #RichardErdman was JOY walking. Anyone who saw him on @CommunityTV gleefully stealing every scene he was in knows that’s true.”

The Hangover’s Ken Jeong wrote on Facebook: “Thank you Richard Erdman for blessing us with your brilliance. Sweet, gentle and fearless. Nailed every take. Always made me laugh hard.”

Erdman’s wife and daughter both pre-deceased him.