Sam Lloyd was far from the star of Scrubs, but his Ted was an important part of the sitcom still beloved by fans years after it went off the air for good. The nuance shown by its characters made it for more than a slapstick comedy set in a hospital, and Lloyd’s Ted Buckland was a great example of that.
Friday brought news that Lloyd died of a brain tumor at the age of 56, sparking at outpouring of grief from those familiar with his work in entertainment. According to TMZ, Lloyd died on Friday after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor early in 2019.
Lloyd was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in January 2019 — just weeks after he and his wife Vanessa welcomed their first child, Weston. After a year and a few months, he succumbed to the disease.
The news brought an outpouring of grief and memories from those involved in the show as well as fans. Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence broke the news of his death to many with a tweet on Friday.
Thinking a lot about Sam Lloyd today. (Ted). Truly such a kind, sweet guy. He will be missed by so many. pic.twitter.com/JRzlLKhqHB
— Bill Lawrence (@VDOOZER) May 1, 2020
Scrubs star Zach Braff also shared condolences on Twitter, sharing memories of Lloyd making him break during filming and remembering his kindness.
https://twitter.com/zachbraff/status/1256353801377742848
If you were on Twitter on Friday you likely saw a clip of Ted from people mourning his loss and his abilities to land a joke.
Damn. Ted was easily one of my favorite characters on Scrubs! And he could sing his ass off! RIP Sam Lloyd. pic.twitter.com/17p3wZQPxX
— Flee Diddy (@JustInNotOut) May 1, 2020
rip sam lloyd. legal custodian for life. pic.twitter.com/fOSs73WitV
— seth reese † (@SethR94) May 1, 2020
It is with heavy heart that I post this send off to actor Sam Lloyd, known to #Scubs fans as Ted Buckland. So much more than just a bit actor/character, Sam/Ted provided so much laughter and joy with a character so miserable yet very sympathetic. #RIPSamLloyd pic.twitter.com/aMNu61IG9v
— SCRUBSclassic 👨🏻⚕️ 🏥 (@ScrubsClassic) May 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/Grant_SCFC/status/1256351782307074049
Many shared some of his musical moments from the show, which became a reoccurring part of episodes later in the series.
Lloyd was known for his acting and music, and appeared in a variety of other roles during his career including projects like Desperate Housewives, Shameless, Modern Family and The West Wing. He also had guest appearances on Seinfeld and Spin City. His musical act, The Blanks, appeared on Scrubs and performed well after the show went off the air. His Ted role was also reprised on Cougar Town in more recent years.
