Fred Willard's Life in Photos: From Improv Comedy to Best in Show & Modern Family

Fred Willard, whose numerous credits include Best in Show, This Is Spinal Tap, Everybody Loves Raymond and Modern Family, died of natural causes at age 86

May 16, 2020 04:15 PM

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Credit: Donaldson Collection/Getty Images

Willard (right) performed as a part of Ace Trucking Company on This Is Tom Jones in 1970 in Los Angeles.

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Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images

The comedian performed onstage at the Park West in Chicago, Illinois, on Sept. 8, 1978.

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Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Willard was all smiles during the Saturday Night Live opening monologue on Oct. 14, 1978.

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Credit: Bei/Shutterstock

A portrait of Willard captured on Oct. 31, 1979.

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From left: Dave Thomas, Ed Asner, Willard and Robert Klein pose together backstage during the Second City 25th Anniversary performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 16, 1984.

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Credit: Access Syndication/Courtesy Everett Collection

Willard starred on the comedy series D.C. Follies from 1987-1989.

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Credit: Sony Pictures Classics/Courtesy Everett Collection

Catherine O'Hara and Willard in Waiting for Guffman (1996).

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Willard appeared as Ed Harken, station director of KVWN-TV Channel 4, in the 2004 Adam McKay-directed comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

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Credit: Brian To/WireImage

Willard with his wife Mary Willard (who died in July 2018) attended the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles Guild special cocktail reception celebrating "Big Bash Gala" honorees at the Montage on Sept. 24, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.

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The actor attended the 50th-anniversary screening of In the Heat of the Night during the TCM Classic Film Festival on April 6, 2017, in L.A.

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Willard and his daughter Hope Willard attended the Farrah Fawcett Foundation's Tex-Mex Fiesta on Sept. 06, 2019, in Los Angeles.

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Credit: Richard Cartwright/ABC via Getty Images

On the Jan. 15, 2020, episode of Modern Family, titled "Legacy," Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) shared one final goodbye with his father Frank (Willard), who died of old age in the episode. Willard starred on the ABC comedy series as Frank for 14 episodes across all 11 seasons (2009-2020). In 2010, the role garnered Willard an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series.

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