Actor Maury Chaykin dies at 61

AP

LAST ROLE: Maury Chaykin as Harvey Weingard in Entourage.

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Canadian actor Maury Chaykin, most recently seen in comedy series Entourage, has died at the age of 61, his manager has confirmed.

Paul Hemrend said Chaykin died at a Toronto hospital surrounded by family early Tuesday morning - the day of his birthday.

Mark McKinney, who produced Chaykin's most recent series, the HBO Canada sitcom Less Than Kind, said the veteran actor died after battling kidney problems.

"He was one of our greatest actors," said McKinney, adding that the cast was devastated by the death.

"Maury's an actor of unparalleled gifts, you cannot learn what he had in spades - you could study for 1000 years. He had an incredible gift, an instant quickness."

Chaykin had roles in Dances With Wolves, The Postman, Owning Mahoney, Mystery, Alaska, A Life Less Ordinary, and The Adjuster. He has also been in the TV shows CSI, and Boston Legal. His acting career spans 35 years.

In Entourage, Chaykin played the recurring role of outlandish movie producer Harvey Weingard - a send-up of the real-life producer Harvey Weinstein.

His role in Whale Music, a Canadian film, earned him a Genie (the Canadian equivalent to the Oscars) for best performance by an actor in a supporting role in 1994.

He also picked up Geminis (the Canadian equivalent of the Emmy Awards) for guest spots on the Canadian TV series La Femme Nikita in 1998 and At the Hotel in 2006.

Chaykin was born in 1949 in New York to an American father and a Canadian mother before moving to Toronto in 1974.

He is survived by his wife, actress Susannah Hoffman, and their daughter Rose.

- AP