Windell Middlebrooks may not have been a household name, but he was the kind of actor whose smile and charisma made him instantly recognizable in any role, from his hilarious guest appearances on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia to his slightly-more-serious turn as Curtis Brumfield on ABC’s Body of Proof. Sadly, the 36-year old actor has passed away, as he was reportedly found dead in his home in San Fernando Valley yesterday morning from unknown causes.
Perhaps most recognizable as the guy who always wanted the working class to enjoy Miller High Life beer, Middlebrooks was far more than a beer delivery guy and he certainly deserved the bright career that was ahead of him.
“The Middlebrooks, with sorrowed hearts, announce the passing of a young, black star. Windell took his final bow and with great joy exited stage left in the early morning of March 9th, 2015,” his family said in a statement Tuesday.
[Publicist Steve] Ivey told NBC News he was “devastated” by the loss of Windell, “but ultimately grateful for short time that he was able to spend with us.”
“Windell was a brilliant person and a brilliant friend,” Ivey said. (Via NBC News)
Middlebrooks made his mark with a recurring role as Captain Duncook on Scrubs, as well as with smaller roles on popular series like Entourage, Parks and Recreation, Veronica Mars, My Name is Earl, ER, and The Bernie Mac Show, among others. We will update this sad news as new information becomes available.