(CNN) John Mahoney, a veteran character actor best known for playing the curmudgeonly dog-loving father of the title character in TV's "Frasier," has died, his publicist said Monday.

He was 77 years old.

Mahoney, who played Martin Crane, father of Frasier Crane and Niles Crane, on the long-running sitcom, died Sunday in Chicago after a short illness, according to Wendy Morris.

Peri Gilpin, who played the character Roz Doyle in "Frasier," recalled that Mahoney sang at her wedding, and she recalled some of his best-known performances: "Watch Moonstruck, Say Anything and/or Frasier or anything you can with him in it and raise a glass to John. Remember him well," Gilpin wrote.

John singing at my wedding. Watch Moonstruck, Say Anything and/or Frasier or anything you can with him in it and raise a glass to John. Remember him well. pic.twitter.com/Tj3i5B4x13 — Peri Gilpin (@GilpinPeri) February 6, 2018

Mahoney was an ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago for 39 years, the theater said in a tweet.

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