These Friends Actors Died, and Most Fans Have No Idea

Everyone remembers the main six, but plenty of others helped shape the series into what it became.

And a lot of them are gone.

While Matthew Perry's death in 2023 made international headlines, several other actors from the show have quietly passed away—some years ago—with barely a ripple. Some had iconic TV and film careers. Others just played one funny scene and moved on. Either way, here's the harsh truth: if you only know these people from Friends, you probably had no idea they were dead.

Here are the actors Friends fans have lost:

Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing)

Died: October 28, 2023
Age: 54
Cause: Apparent drowning
Perry played Chandler in all 236 episodes and was the heart of the show's sarcasm. He spoke openly about his addiction issues in later years and published a bestselling memoir shortly before his death. His passing shocked fans worldwide.

James Michael Tyler (Gunther)

Died: October 24, 2021
Age: 59
Cause: Prostate cancer
Appeared in over 150 episodes as the Central Perk barista hopelessly in love with Rachel. Tyler went public with his diagnosis to raise awareness before passing away quietly in 2021.

Ron Leibman (Dr. Leonard Green)

Died: December 6, 2019
Age: 82
Cause: Pneumonia
Played Rachel's no-nonsense father. A Tony winner for Angels in America, Leibman had a serious career outside sitcoms, even if Friends fans only remember him for yelling.

Mike Hagerty (Mr. Treeger)

Died: May 5, 2022
Age: 67
Cause: Infection complications
Monica and Rachel's building superintendent. Classic blue-collar sitcom role. Also showed up in Seinfeld, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Somebody Somewhere.

Robin Williams (Tomas)

Died: August 11, 2014
Age: 63
Cause: Suicide
Made a brief surprise cameo with Billy Crystal in one episode. Blink and you missed it—but yes, that was really Robin Williams.

Taylor Negron (Allesandro)

Died: January 10, 2015
Age: 57
Cause: Liver cancer
Played the rude restaurant owner who fired Monica. Longtime character actor with dozens of cult movie roles. Gone far too soon.

Stan Kirsch (Young Ethan)

Died: January 11, 2020
Age: 51
Cause: Suicide
Appeared in a Season 1 episode as Monica's way-too-young boyfriend. Better known for Highlander, and later became an acting coach.

Ron Glass (Russell the Divorce Lawyer)

Died: November 25, 2016
Age: 71
Cause: Respiratory failure
Had a one-off role as Ross's attorney. Also a Barney Miller and Firefly alum. Quietly brilliant, consistently underappreciated.

Teri Garr (Phoebe Abbott Sr.)

Died: December 21, 2022
Age: 75
Cause: Complications from multiple sclerosis
Played Phoebe's long-lost mother. Oscar-nominated (Tootsie), unforgettable in Young Frankenstein and Close Encounters. A true icon.

Paxton Whitehead (Mr. Waltham)

Died: June 16, 2023
Age: 85
Cause: Undisclosed
Rachel's uptight British boss from Bloomingdale's. Delivered dry one-liners like a pro. Long résumé in British and American comedy.

So yes, Friends is eternal. But like everything else in the '90s, not everyone made it out of that decade—or the next few—intact.

If you didn't know most of these names, that's kind of the point. Fans remember the laughs. The guest stars rarely get the same treatment.