George Gerdes death: The X-Files, Lost and Grey’s Anatomy actor dies, aged 72

Gerdes was also an acclaimed folk musician

(Rex Features)

Prolific TV actor George Gerdes has died, aged 72.

Gerdes, who was also a folk musician, suffered a brain aneurysm on New Year’s Eve and died the following day, his partner Julia Johns told The Hollywood Reporter.

The actor has appeared in numerous classic US TV shows since kickstarting his career in the 1980s.

These include Miami Vice, NYPD Blue and Seinfeld.

In 1994, he appeared in the first season of The X-Files, playing a Reverend in the episode titled "Miracle Man".

Gerdes also had guest roles on ER, Lost, True Blood and Dexter.

More recently, he showed up in Amazon drama Bosch and long-running medical series Grey's Anatomy, which he appeared on in 2020.

Gerdes' Bosch co-star, Titus Welliver, called him "an actor's actor and a deeply kind man".

Ahead of acting, Gerdes released two acclaimed folk albums in the 1970s, with Joni Mitchell describing his song "Say So What Else Is New?" as "the happiest sad song I've ever heard".

His film roles include psychological thriller Single White Female, Steven Spielberg's Amistad and David Fincher's adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

George Gerdes appeared alongside Shannon Wilcox in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ just last year (Rex Features)

Meanwhile, on stage, he performed in Sam Shepard's off-Broadway hit Fool for Love as well as in Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men.

Gerdes is survived by Johns, his sister and nephews Zachary, Michael and Will. Donations for a post-Covid celebration of his life are being accepted by the Meher Spiritual Centre.