Pat Finn, the actor who played Bill Norwood on the long-running sitcomThe Middle, has died, according to family members and multiple news outlets. He was 60.
Finn died on Monday night after being diagnosed with cancer,TMZreported on Wednesday. In a statement tothe New York Post, a representative for Finn, who also starred onThe George Wendt Showand appeared on series likeFriendsandMurphy Brown, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2022, and the cancer went into remission before returning and metastasizing. Yahoo reached out to Finn's rep for comment.
Finn is survived by his wife, Donna, whom he married in 1990, and their children, Cassidy, Caitlin and Ryan. On Tuesday, Finn's daughter Cassidy posted a tribute to her late dad onInstagram, which included several throwback photos.
"Dad… you were and are a role model and an inspiration to everyone you met. I tried to think of a word to describe you, but no word could ever do it justice. You are Pat Finn," Cassidy wrote. "The least shocking thing was hearing the nurses say they have never seen so many people show up at a hospital for someone. That was my dad."
Cassidy said that her life was forever changed because of her father. "He taught me to be funny, positive, humble, to listen, to always try my best, to love, and to surround myself with the best people. But most importantly—you taught me kindness," she wrote. "I've never met a single person who had a bad thing to say about my dad. I feel like the luckiest person in the world that I got to call you my dad."
On Wednesday, his daughter Caitlin also shared photos of her and Finn onInstagramalong with an emotional caption.
"It's difficult to put into words how to describe someone like my dad. Mostly because there really was no one like him. But lately, I've found myself saying the word proud a lot," she began the lengthy post. "I'm proud of the life he created. I'm proud of him for following his dreams. I'm proud of him for marrying the love of his life. I'm proud of him for being the most genuine and selfless person every day. I'm proud of him for the fight he fought and never giving up. But most of all, I am so proud to be his daughter."
Comedian Jeff Dye also shared a photo with Finn ina Wednesday post on X, writing alongside the pic of him lifting the actor at a barbecue, "I don't like to be the guy who post pics with celebrities that pass. But this guy wasn't just a celebrity to me. He was a friend. One of the best dudes I knew with a PERFECT sense of humor. I love you Pat Finn and I'll see you again in the after , we can sing together and shake our heads about all the meanness in the used to be."
Finn, an Evanston, Ill., native, was a longtime friend of the late Chris Farley, with whom he played rugby at Marquette University. Both were part of the Chicago-based sketch comedy troupe Second City.
In addition to appearing in a slew of sitcoms like2 Broke Girls, The Bernie Mac Showand3rd Rock from the Sunover the course of three decades, he also appeared in films likeDude, Where's My Car?andIt's Complicated. Later in his career, he taught at various universities, including the University of Colorado, Indiana University, UCLA, Pepperdine and Marquette, according tothe Hollywood Reporter.
Finn's last onscreen appearance was in the 2023 Anna Camp filmUnexpected, which hisThe Middlecostar Patricia Heaton produced.