How I Met Your Mother Actors You May Not Know Passed Away

"How I Met Your Mother," the beloved CBS classic that takes viewers through the love life of Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor), saw its fair share of actors and actresses come and go. Fans have seen the likes of Wayne Brady, Bryan Cranston, and even Britney Spears on the show. It's a true ensemble experience, and all the high-profile guest spots are a big part of that.

Unfortunately, a handful of actors who graced the screen on this long-running sitcom have since died. With such a vast cast, these kinds of losses are perhaps predictable, but it doesn't make them any less tragic. At least in the immortal realm of TV, their performances will live on in perpetuity. It's become a cliché to call a TV cast a family, but that doesn't make it any less true. Both fans and cast members from the show paid their tributes to the deceased at the time of their passing, which tells you a lot about the positive working relationships on this show.

Check out all of the "How I Met Your Mother" actors who have since died.

Ron Nicolosi — who played Mike, the not-so-hardworking cameraman from Robin's local news show, on "How I Met Your Mother" – died on July 28, 2020 at the age of 62. Nicolosi first appeared on the show in Season 2, Episode 8, "Atlantic City." He is seen throughout the series as the same lackadaisical cameraman. His last appearance came in Season 8, Episode 17, "The Ashtray."

Away from this show, Nicolosi has also been seen on the TV series "Truth Be Told" and "Staked." However, "How I Met Your Mother" was his longest-running role, according to IMDb. This death must have hit the cast pretty hard, because many of them took to social media to express their sorrow.

"The How I Met Your Mother family today lost a wonderful member of our community, Ron Nicolosi, a sweet soul who left too soon. Here is a memento of him, with a possibility to donate for a good cause in his honor," co-creator Craig Thomas tweeted.

Some fans may remember seeing Alan Thicke in "How I Met Your Mother," as he appeared sporadically in four different seasons. He first appeared in Season 3, Episode 16, "Sandcastles in the Sand," in which he played a role in Robin Scherbatsky's (Cobie Smulders) second music video as her glitzy alter ego, Robin Sparkles. After that, he starred as himself in four more episodes. His final appearance would come in Season 9, Episode 12, "The Rehearsal Dinner." In these appearances, Thicke was known for playing his Canadian roots for big laughs, often alongside fellow Canadian actress, Smulders.

Thicke, the father of singer Robin Thicke, and more famously known as the dad from "Growing Pains," died on December 13, 2016, at the age of 69. His cause of death was a type-A aortic dissection.

"The good thing was that he was beloved, and he had closure. I saw him a few days ago and told him how much I loved and respected him," son Robin Thicke said (via The Los Angeles Times).

Regis Philbin appeared in the "How I Met Your Mother" Season 4 episode "The Best Burger in New York." In the episode, Marshall (Jason Segel) searches high and low across New York City to relocate the place where he once had what he describes as the best hamburger ever. Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) reveals to Marshall and Ted (Josh Radnor) that Philbin works out at the same gym he does, and that he'd be able to help in the search. Philbin confirms that he had the same burger Marshall did — a burger that he still dreams about — but he can't remember the name of the place he ate it at and demands that the group figure it out. Within the "How I Met Your Mother" universe, Philbin was the host of the fictional game show "Million-Dollar Heads or Tails."

In real life, Philbin was a prolific television host, most famously hosting "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and co-hosting "Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee," which turned into "Live! with Regis and Kelly" when Kelly Ripa replaced Kathie Lee. Philbin died on July 24, 2020 at the age of 88, due to a heart attack.

Additionally, Alex Trebek, the beloved "Jeopardy!" host that we all know and love, was featured in two episodes of "How I Met Your Mother." First, fans saw him in Season 6, Episode 12, "False Positive," where he serves as the new host of "Million-Dollar Heads or Tails." Trebek was seen again in Season 8, Episode 15, "P.S. I Love You."

Trebek died on November 8, 2020 at the age of 80, after dealing with pancreatic cancer for nearly two years.