Modern Family Actors You May Not Know Passed Away

"Modern Family" became one of the most successful sitcoms on the air after it hit TV screens back in 2009, breathing new life into the mockumentary subgenre. Following the lives of three very different branches of the same family, the Los Angeles-set show won numerous awards and received widespread critical acclaim for the way it portrayed modern family life in the United States. Running for 11 seasons and 250 episodes in total, "Modern Family" featured a large ensemble cast and some big names made guest appearances over the course of its run. Sadly, not all of them are still with us today. In fact, we've lost way more members of the show's extended family than you may have realized.

Some of the actors on this list actually made their final career appearances in "Modern Family," which is not a bad way to wrap up a resume. Here's everyone who has acted in the show that has since passed away.

David Brenner only appeared in a single episode of "Modern Family," but he made a big impression in Season 1's "My Funky Valentine." The episode largely revolves around Jay taking Gloria to a comedy event for Valentine's Day, where Brenner is performing. Gloria is not particularly happy about the choice, but, in the end, it's Jay who regrets the decision — he walks out after the comic hones in on the age difference between the two.

A well known stand-up comedian throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Brenner was perhaps best known for his frequent appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." He appeared in more than 150 episodes of the talk show and even occasionally hosted it when Carson was unavailable. Brenner also appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" and "Real Time with Bill Maher," and he starred in the short-lived NBC comedy "Snip."

Brenner became a comedian after spending several years working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry as a writer and producer. He ultimately became a respected comic and was looked upon highly by the likes of Richard Lewis. He died from cancer in 2014 at the age of 78. Publicist Jeff Abraham told The Hollywood Reporter that Brenner "died peacefully at his home in NYC surrounded by his family."

Most people know John Heard for playing the father of Macaulay Culkin's character in the first two "Home Alone" movies, but he appeared in a bunch of other memorable roles over the years. In "Modern Family" he played Gunther Thorpe, Gil's father. Gunther shows up in the Season 5 episode "The Feud," in which Phil loses his position as social chair of the realtor group to Gil and has to hand over his medallion. This was Heard's one and only appearance in "Modern Family" and the character was not mentioned again.

Heard made his debut in the TV movie "Valley Forge" in 1975. He went on to appear in a few notable TV shows in the years that followed, such as "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Miami Vice" and "The Equalizer," but before long he had established himself on the big screen. Two years before he made his debut as Peter McCallister in "Home Alone," Heard played the rival of Tom Hanks in "Big." Not long after that he appeared alongside Robert De Niro and Robin Williams in "Awakenings," which was met with critical acclaim and nominated for three Academy Awards.

Heard's performance in "The Sopranos" as Detective Vin Makazian earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 1999. He didn't win, but his peers knew how talented he was. Bette Midler, Jeff Bridges, Elijah Wood, Rob Lowe, and Marlon Wayans were among the many actors who paid tribute following his death. Heard was found dead at a hotel after having back surgery, according to Variety. He was 71.

"Modern Family" fans may not recognize John Cygan, as he only appeared in a single episode of the show before his death. He played the Admissions Dean of a private school in a Season 4 episode called "The Future Dunphys." Jay takes Manny to Dryden Academy hoping to get him enrolled, but he doesn't get into the school after messing up his interview with the Cygan's character.

Active since 1990, Cygan made his screen debut in the television series "Babes." A few years later he landed the regular role of Harlan Stone in the Bob Newhart sitcom "Bob." He would go on to play a sheriff in "The X-Files" and appear as part of the main cast of shows such as "The Commish" and "Space Strikers." In the years that followed he made guest appearances in everything from "Diagnosis Murder" to "Frasier," but Cygan was arguably best known for his off-camera work.

Cygan was a veteran voice actor with some big characters and projects under his belt. He voiced Twitch in "Toy Story 3" and provided additional voices for a bunch of other animated films, including "Monsters University," "The Lorax," and "Minions." In the video game world, Cygan was known for providing the voice of Solidus Snake in 2001's "Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty" and Canderous Ordo in 2003's "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," both of which were big hits. Per The Hollywood Reporter, he died from cancer in 2017 at the age of 63.

Jackson Odell played the character Ted Durkas in "Modern Family," a student who attends the same school as Luke Dunphy and Manny Delgado. He's something of a bully, taking advantage of the other kids and making a general nuisance of himself. In Season 1's "My Funky Valentine," he steals Fiona (Manny's love interest) away from him using a poem that Manny wrote. He also appeared in Season 4's "Open House of Horrors," tricking Manny into thinking that he wanted to be his friend only to humiliate him.

Unlike most of the other actors who passed away after appearing in "Modern Family," Odell was still a relative youngster at the time, making his death all the more tragic. The actor (who also worked as a musician and recorded songs for the movie "Forever My Girl") was perhaps most famous for his role in "The Goldbergs." He played Ari Caldwell, the brother of Adam Goldberg's love interest Dana Caldwell, between 2013 and 2015. The Colorado native also had parts in "iCarly" and "Arrested Development."

Odell died on June 8, 2018 from an accidental overdose. He was found unresponsive at the sober living home where he was staying. The cause was "acute heroin and cocaine toxicity," the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office ruled (via People). He was only 20 years old. "He will always be a shining light and a brilliant, loving and talented soul," the family said in a statement.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

The insular and deeply neurotic "Modern Family" universe expanded on numerous occasions to include various friends, co-workers, and others who orbited the Dunphys and Pritchetts. In Seasons 2 and 3, audiences were introduced to Walt Kleezak, who was at first pitched as Phil and Claire's stereotypically grumpy neighbor. But an unlikely friendship between Luke and Kleezak—forged over honesty and video games—eventually changed the Dunphys' perspective, and Kleezak became a family friend until his death in Season 3's "The Last Walt."

Character actor Philip Baker Hall, who played Walt in all four of his appearances on "Modern Family," toiled for decades in features and on television, most notably as Richard Nixon in Robert Altman's "Secret Honor" and "library cop" Lt. Bookman on "Seinfeld," before forging a creative connection with Paul Thomas Anderson. The filmmaker first cast Hall as a gambler in his 1993 short "Cigarettes & Coffee," which he expanded into his 1996 feature directorial debut, "Hard Eight." Hall earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination, which led to more work with Anderson ("Boogie Nights," "Magnolia") and turns as world-weary and wise types in Michael Mann's "The Insider,"  David Fincher's "Zodiac," and Ben Affleck's "Argo."

Though exceptionally busy with features, Hall also continued his TV career during the 1990s and 2000s through appearances on "The West Wing," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Newsroom" and "BoJack Horseman." Twice nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award with his castmates on "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia," and a recipient of awards from the Broadcast Film Critics Association (for "The Contender") and Hollywood Film Awards (for "Argo"), Hall worked until two years before his death from emphysema at the age of 91 on June 12, 2022.

There are a lot of great moments in Season 1's "Family Portrait," which is anchored around Jay's desire to bring together his sizable brood for a picture. But the episode really belongs to Ty Burrell's Phil, who gets two opportunities to exercise his talent for barely controlled anxiety. Gloria plants a kiss on him on live television while the pair is in the crosshairs of the Kiss Cam at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game ("He made me. It's Kiss Cam!" she later explained), which requires serious explaining to Claire, but before that, he completely flubs a chance to ask Lakers legend Kobe Bryant a question. When a panicked Phil blurts out, "Do you like being a basketball player?" Kobe—playing himself—calmly scolds, "Little preparation next time, it's a mental game." Ouch.

Bryant was, of course, one of basketball's most legendary players, claiming five National Basketball Association (NBA) championships during his two-decade tenure with the Lakers, for which he held the franchise's all-time scoring record. He also played in 18 All-Star games, and claimed Game MPV for four of those (a record he shared with Bob Pettit). His star status rarely dimmed during his time with the Lakers, even during a high-profile sexual assault case in 2003. After claiming gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, Bryant retired in 2016 and expanded his influence to various pursuits, including film production, which netted him an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film with 2017's "Dear Basketball." On January 26, 2020, a helicopter carrying Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others crashed in Calabasas, California, killing everyone aboard on impact.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Having forgotten to plan a surprise birthday party for Mitchell in Season 7's "Playdates," Haley, Alex, and Luke decide that the next best thing is a last-minute search for Barbra Streisand—or at least her house. They don't find Barbra but do run into Ray Liotta, who's dismayed to learn that the kids have no idea who he is, but still takes pity on them after they own up to forgetting Mitchell's big day. Liotta takes them to Streisand's house and dials her up on her gate intercom; though brief, the conversation—with Streisand providing her own voice—delights Mitchell.

Ray Liotta played himself on "Playdates," which provided the Emmy-winning actor with an opportunity to flex his comedy muscles. Though best known for intense dramatic work in films like "Goodfellas," "Something Wild," "Marriage Story," and "The Many Saints of Newark," Liotta also played for laughs on several occasions throughout his three-decade screen career. He appeared opposite the Muppets twice, including "Muppets Most Wanted" (with Ty Burrell), and enjoyed comic turns in "Youth in Revolt," "Hubie Halloween," and episodes of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "Young Sheldon," and "The Simpsons."

A prolific character actor who logged up to nine films a year in the 2000s, Liotta had at least five films due for release at the time of his death on May 26, 2022, as well as the Apple+ series "Black Bird." One of his final film roles was, in fact, a comedy-horror film, "Cocaine Bear," which was directed by recurring "Modern Family" player Elizabeth Banks and featured Jesse Tyler Ferguson in a supporting role.