Actor Hiram Kasten, who is known for his work in TV shows like Saved by the Bell, Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm, died at the of 71, reported the New York Post.
As per the post on Facebook, the actor had been battling prostate cancer. The actor died in his wife Diana Kisiel Kastenbaum’s arms “only hours after their 38th wedding anniversary,” the post reads.
Kasten has been fighting Crohn’s disease for the previous seven years in addition to cancer. He passed away at home in Batavia, New York.
While Kasten’s “health had taken a downturn and he no longer performed or actively pursued his career” beginning in 2017, “he only began to share the terminality of it all with his friends in the last six months,” the post read.
His “great comedy and artistic community rallied to his side,” as “some made trips to Batavia to visit him, late night Zoom meetings with friends on both coasts ensued and went into the wee hours of the morning.” “It prolonged his life for at least another two months to be able to laugh with his peers,” his wife added.
Kasten’s most well-known performance was as Michael on Seinfeld between 1993 and 1994.
The actor gained recognition in the comedy industry by becoming a frequent performer at The Comic Strip, a legendary club that formerly played house to Jerry Seinfeld. This helped him establish himself in the NYC comedy scene.
Seinfeld “passed Hiram on his first audition and he became a regular,” with the pair striking “up a friendship that has lasted for 45 years,” Diana wrote in the post.
Apart from being part of Seinfeld, Kasten made appearances on Saved By the Bell, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Cybill, Mad About You and Everybody Loves Raymond.
In the early 2000s, Kasten went on to make appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, My Wife and Kids, and 7th Heaven.
The Bronx-born actor is survived by wife Diana, daughter Millicent Jade, brother-in-law, Kevin John Kisiel, reported the New York Post.