Fans of beloved Gilmore Girls grandfather Richard Gilmore were stunned and saddened to hear that actor Edward Herrmann had passed away at the age of 71 on Dec. 31 after battling brain cancer. Since the news broke, the late Emmy winner's on-screen family has publicly spoken about the tragic loss.
Kelly Bishop, who played Richard's wife Emily Gilmore for all seven seasons of the small-town drama, released a statement to TVLine about the loss of her on-screen husband.
"We, the Gilmore Girls family, are so terribly sad and somewhat stunned," Bishop said in the statement. "We only learned about his illness a week or so ago. I got a call from [Edward’s wife] Star Monday night asking if I wanted to come to the hospital to say good-bye. I went yesterday and was able to give Ed love from Lauren [Graham], Alexis [Bledel] and Amy [Sherman-Palladino]… I have so many fond memories of our time together on Gilmore Girls and since, mainly via email. I think everyone who knew or worked with Ed found him to be absolutely delightful… Everything looks a little dim, as if the lights went down."
Star Lauren Graham, who played Richard's daughter Lorelai Gilmore, tweeted, "My friend Ed Herrmann was the kindest, classiest, most talented man. It was an honor and a joy to know him, a devastating blow to lose him."
Alexis Bledel, who played Richard's granddaughter, also paid tribute to Herrmann. "Ed Herrmann was a wonderful actor and a kind man. He was endlessly knowledgeable about theater, TV and film, and would generously share his wisdom or tell stories from a long and rewarding career," she said to TVLine. "I am grateful to him for that, and will miss him tremendously. He loved acting and was the head of our Gilmore family with his strong presence and great sense of humor. May he rest in peace."
Keiko Agena, who played Rory Gilmore's best friend Lane Kim, tweeted, "RIP #EdwardHerrmann I was lucky to know you. I can't imagine what #GilmoreGirls would have been like w/o you. <3 to your Family."
Herrmann is survived by is wife of 22 years Star Hayner, two daughters Ryan and Emma, and stepson Rory.
