Character Actor Jay Gerber Dies at 86

He played Stretch Cunningham’s brother on ‘All in the Family.’ His brother, Roy, was the inspiration for Oscar Madison.

Jay Gerber, a character actor whose many appearances onscreen included a memorable episode of All in the Family, has died. He was 86.

Gerber, who also guest-starred on such shows as Eight Is Enough, Barney Miller and L.A. Law, died Oct. 2 at his home in Los Angeles, his nephew, film and TV producer Bill Gerber (Gran Torino), told The Hollywood Reporter.

Gerber’s brother was the late Roy Gerber, an agent and talent manager who served as the inspiration for the character of Oscar Madison in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. (After he and his wife split up, Roy moved into the home of Neil’s older brother, comedy writer Danny Simon, who also was newly separated.)

Jay Gerber, a character actor whose many appearances onscreen included a memorable episode of All in the Family, has died. He was 86.

Gerber, who also guest-starred on such shows as Eight Is Enough, Barney Miller and L.A. Law, died Oct. 2 at his home in Los Angeles, his nephew, film and TV producer Bill Gerber (Gran Torino), told The Hollywood Reporter.

Gerber’s brother was the late Roy Gerber, an agent and talent manager who served as the inspiration for the character of Oscar Madison in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. (After he and his wife split up, Roy moved into the home of Neil’s older brother, comedy writer Danny Simon, who also was newly separated.)