George Gaynes dead: ‘Police Academy,’ ‘Punky Brewster’ actor was 98

Celebrity deaths in 2016

George Gaynes, who starred on “Punky Brewster” and played Commandant Lassard in all seven “Police Academy” movies, died Feb. 15 at 98.

“Punky Brewster” star George Gaynes is dead, his daughter told the New York Times. He was 98.

Iya Gaynes Falcome Brown said he died Monday night at her home in North Bend, Wash. No cause of death was named.

The actor played Henry Warnimont, the adoptive father of Punky (played by Soleil Moon Frye) on the ’80s sitcom and appeared in more than 85 other films and TV shows. His other most notable roles were as a soap opera star with a crush on Dustin Hoffman in “Tootsie” and as Commandant Eric Lassard in all seven “Police Academy” movies.

“The universe just gained a gigantic star. You will be in my heart and soul always and forever,” Moon Frye wrote on Twitter Tuesday. “Your little Punky. RIP George Gaynes.”