To some, he was the voice of Rodimus Prime on the mid-1980s animated TV show "The Transformers," or Serpentor on the animated "G.I. Joe." But for baby boomers, Dick Gautier was best known for his deadpan performance as Hymie the robot in the '60s spy spoof "Get Smart."
The actor died Friday, according to a Facebook post by Tess Hightower, his third wife. Gautier's daughter Denise told the Hollywood Reporter that he passed away at an assisted living facility in Arcadia after a long illness. He was 85.
Gautier earned a Tony nomination for his performance as Conrad Birdie, an Elvis Presley-esque singer, in the original Broadway production of "Bye, Bye Birdie," which also starred Dick Van Dyke.
Born in Culver City, Gautier began his show business career as a comedian and was spotted performing at a New York club by renowned dancer-choreographer Gower Champion, who urged him to audition for "Bye, Bye Birdie."