Gavin MacLeod’s Co-Star Ed Asner Reacts to His Death

On Saturday, it was reported that actor Gavin MacLeod died at the age of 90. MacLeod was known for his roles on shows such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat. In light of the news of his passing, Ed Asner, his co-star on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, spoke out.

Asner issued a statement on Twitter regarding MacLeod’s passing. He noted that upon MacLeod’s death, he and Betty White are the only surviving main cast members from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The star also reflected on his friendship with the late Love Boat actor, whom he called his “brother.” Asner wrote, alongside photos of himself and MacLeod, “My heart is broken. Gavin was my brother, my partner in crime (and food) and my comic conspirator. I will see you in a bit, Gavin. Tell the gang I will see them in a bit. Betty! It’s just you and me now.”

Asner wasn’t the only one who paid tribute to MacLeod on social media. According to PEOPLE, several stars, including MacLeod’s Love Boat co-star Maureen McCormick, paid their respects to the late actor. McCormick wrote on Twitter, “Rest In Peace my dear friend Gavin Macleod. Thank you for all the special and beautiful heart-filled conversations about life. I will always treasure the time I was lucky enough to spend with you. Love you #GavinMacleod.”

MacLeod’s death was confirmed by his nephew, Mark See. His nephew told TMZ that he died at his home in Palm Desert, California. Over the past several months, MacLeod, who was born Allen George See, was treated at the hospital on various occasions. Although, his exact cause of death has not been released. It was also confirmed by both See and MacLeod’s ex-wife, Joan Rootvik, that his death was not related to COVID-19.

As previously mentioned, MacLeod had many roles over the years. But, his most famous was in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in which he portrayed news writer Murray, and in The Love Boat, in which he played Captain Stubing. He starred as Murray for the entirety of its run and earned two Golden Globe nominations for the role. MacLeod played Captain Stubing for all nine seasons of The Love Boat, which ended in 1986.