‘Alice’ star Philip McKeon dead at 55

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Philip McKeon, who played teenager Tommy Hyatt on the popular ’70s and ’80s sitcom “Alice,” has died at age 55, multiple news outlets are reporting.

According to CNN, the former child actor died Tuesday in Texas. A family spokesman said McKeon, the older brother of "Facts of Life" star Nancy McKeon, had been fighting a long-term illness, USA Today reported.

"His wonderful sense of humor, kindness and loyalty will be remembered by all who crossed his path," the spokesman, Jeff Ballard, said in a statement to the news outlets.

After "Alice" ended in 1985, McKeon continued to work as an actor and a producer, USA Today reported. He later took a job at Los Angeles radio station KFWB, where he worked for a decade. McKeon eventually moved to Texas, where he had a radio show, according to CNN.

McKeon's survivors include his sister and his mother, Barbara, the outlets reported.

Fans and fellow actors, including Charlie Sheen, took to Twitter on Tuesday to pay tribute to McKeon.

"Shared some wonderful moments in the 'trenches' with Phil McKeon many moons ago," Sheen wrote. "Over the past few decades, he was always a perfect gentleman and an ebullient spirit."

Sheen added: "R.I.P. young man. Much much too soon, you cut out."

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