Actor and comedian Fred Willard dead at 86

Actor Fred Willard attends the 50th anniversary screening of In The Heat Of The Night at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival opening night gala. Photo / Getty Images

Fred Willard, beloved actor and comedian, has died, aged 86.

"My father passed away very peacefully last night at the fantastic age of 86 years old," his daughter Hope Mulbarger said in a statement.

"He kept moving, working and making us happy until the very end. We loved him so very much! We will miss him forever."

Colleagues and friends of the actor have been sharing tributes online and mourning the loss together.

How lucky that we all got to enjoy Fred Willard’s gifts. He is with his missed Mary now. Thanks for the deep belly laughs Mr. Willard. Best in Show (7/11) Movie CLIP - Judging the Hounds (2000) HD https://t.co/wPrbk9VjWI via @YouTube

— Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) May 16, 2020

I’m at a loss for words, a state Fred Willard never found himself in. My friend for 40+ years, a great comic actor who had no competition because there was only one of him. We were all so lucky. Goodbye, Fred.

— Michael McKean (@MJMcKean) May 16, 2020

Fred Willard could not have been funnier. He was pure joy. And the sweetest person you could ever meet. https://t.co/JoLy6PVd9d

— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) May 16, 2020

Willard's career included more than 300 projects, and he was perhaps mostly known for his roles in Best in Show and A Mighty Wind.

Most recently, he'd played Phil Dunphy's father Frank in the hit comedy series Modern Family.

The comedian, a master of the mockumentary genre, died of natural causes.

"A four-time Emmy nominee radiated a unique charm that established him as one of our generation's most gifted comic actors," Willard's rep wrote in a tribute.

"A master of sketch comedy, Fred was most heralded for his quick wit and improvisational expertise, which he demonstrated in hundreds of appearances on stage, on the big screen, and on a wide range of television shows."