Series co-creator Mark Frost and co-star Dana Ashbrook are among those who have shared tributes to the actor.
Showtime
Actor Al Strobel, best known for his role as Philip Gerard in the cult classic 90s drama Twin Peaks, has died at the age of 83.
Strobel’s Friday passing was announced by producer and long-time David Lynch collaborator Sabrina Sutherland on Facebook Saturday, with the Twin Peaks: The Return executive producer writing, “I am sad to have to post that Al Strobel passed away last night. I loved him dearly.”
The actor, who lost his left arm in a car accident when he was 17, appeared in every iteration of Twin Peaks as Gerard—a man who cut off his own arm to stop an evil entity from possessing him.
When not starring in the Mark Frost-David Lynch series, Strobel appeared in a handful of films, including 1990’s Megaville alongside Billy Zane and Ricochet River with Kate Hudson. Strobel had entered retirement by the early 2000s but briefly stepped back into acting to reprise his role of Gerard in Showtime’s The Return.
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Appearing in 9 out of 18 episodes, the 2017 series marked Strobel’s last on-screen appearance.
Related: Why Twin Peaks: The Return is a Perfect Conclusion to the Franchise
Twin Peaks Crew and Fans React to Strobel’s Passing
Showtime
Soon after Sutherland shared the sad news on Facebook, screenshots of the post began to circulate online, and tributes poured in for the actor from the Twin Peaks crew and fans alike.
“Oh no…Dear Al…” series co-creator Mark Frost wrote, paying tribute to his dear friend on Twitter. “As those of you lucky enough to have met him over the years, what a warm and wonderful gentleman he was. RIP, friend.”
Dana Ashbrook, who played bad boy jock-turned-cop Bobby Briggs also turned to Twitter to mourn Strobel, writing: “Sad, sad news…love Al. He was the sweetest of men.”
Fans of Twin Peaks were just as devastated as they reflected on the huge role that Strobel played in the series.
“Amazing actor who contributed greatly to the mystery of Twin Peaks,” Reddit user Slashycent wrote in the show’s official subreddit.
“His recitation of the Fire Walk With Me poem alone, as well as his story about cleansing himself from the evil of The Arm, conveyed such intense pathos that it made you believe he really was an otherworldly spirit inhabiting a poor old oblivious shoe salesman. Such an impeccable performance as one of the series’ most interesting characters.”
May he rest in peace.
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