Canadian actor Maury Chaykin dies at age 61

[July 28, 2010]  TORONTO (AP) -- Canadian actor Maury Chaykin has died at age 61, his manager said Tuesday.

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 1,000 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 "C.S.I.," "Boston Legal," the HBO series "Entourage." His acting career spans 35 years.

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.

[Associated Press]

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