Veteran character actor Pat Finn, recognized for his roles in TV comedies like 'The Middle' and 'Ed,' passed away on December 22 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 60 years old and had been fighting bladder cancer for several years. Finn's family highlighted his passion for college football and the Chicago Bears in their statement.
Pat Finn built a steady career in television and film starting from the mid-1990s, following his time as a member of the Second City improv troupe in Chicago. There, he collaborated with Chris Farley, a fellow Marquette University alumnus and rugby teammate who later gained fame on 'Saturday Night Live' before his death in 1997.
Born in 1965 in Wilmette, Illinois, Finn earned a speech degree from Marquette in 1987. After college, he joined Second City's touring company and transitioned to acting with a regular role on the short-lived CBS series 'The George Wendt Show' in 1995, portraying a brother to the 'Cheers' star's character in a Wisconsin auto shop setting. That same year through 1997, he appeared recurrently on 'Murphy Brown.'
Finn's breakthrough in ensemble comedies came with recurring parts on shows such as 'Ed' and the ABC family sitcom 'The Middle,' where from 2009 to 2018 he played Bill Norwood, the eccentric neighbor to the Heck family. He also starred as the family patriarch in the Nickelodeon series 'Marvin Marvin' from 2012 to 2013, hosting an alien teen. Guest appearances dotted his resume, including episodes of 'Seinfeld,' 'Friends,' 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' 'The Goldbergs,' and 'That '70s Show.' In films, he featured in titles like 'Dude, Where's My Car?,' 'I Love You, Beth Cooper,' and 'It's Complicated.' Finn also lent his voice to commercials for brands including H&R Block, DiGiorno Pizza, Toyota, and the 'Got Milk?' campaign.
Beyond acting, Finn taught improv as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado and his alma mater Marquette, emphasizing the 'yes, and' principle. His family noted in their statement: “They also ask you to be kind, to try and make one person’s life a little easier every day and to Bear Down. It’s what Pat would want, too.” He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Donna Crowley Finn, and their children, Cassidy, Caitlin, and Ryan.
