Former Babylon 5 star Jerry Doyle passed away yesterday from unknown causes. TMZ was first to report the news, but it was later confirmed by Doyle’s family. He was 60 years old.
Doyle was born in 1956, and he was both a stockbroker and a corporate jet pilot before he broke into acting in 1987 with appearances on Moonlighting, Reasonable Doubts, and Homefront before being cast in the classic sci-fi series Babylon 5 as security chief Michael Garibaldi. Doyle remained with Babylon 5 throughout its five-season run and Garibaldi was his best-known role. He went on to appear in Sliders, NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills 90210, and JAG.
Outside of acting, Doyle ran as a Republican for the United States House of Representatives in California’s 30th congressional district. Doyle went on to reinvent himself as a conservative talk radio host and an author. But even if Babylon 5 fans didn’t share Doyle’s political views, he was still a welcome guest on the convention circuit.
Related: R.I.P. ‘Babylon 5’ Star Michael O’Hare
Via EpicTimes, Babylon 5 creator J Michael Straczynski said “Jerry was a consummate professional…Regardless of whatever was going on in his life, whether it was marital issues, a broken arm, forced couch-surfing with Bruce and Andreas or other problems, he never once pulled a prima donna on us; he showed up every day on time, knew his lines, and insisted that the guest cast live up to the standards of the main cast.”
Several Babylon 5 stars have previously passed away, including Richard Biggs, Michael O’Hare, Andreas Katsulas, and Jeff Conaway. And we have to echo Straczynski’s thoughts on the matter: “dear sweet universe, if you are paying attention in the vastness of interstellar space, take a moment from plotting the trajectory of comets and designing new DNA in far-flung cosmos, and spare a thought for those who you have plucked so untimely from our ranks…and knock it off for a while. Because this isn’t fair. And Jerry Doyle would be the first person to tell you that. Right before he put a fist in your face. Which is what I imagine he’s doing right now, on the other side of the veil.”
CraveOnline extends its condolences to Doyle’s family, friends, and fans all over the world.
