Twin Peaks star Walter Olkewicz has died at the age of 72.

The actor played the bartender Jacques Renault in Twin Peaks, returning for the 2017 revival as Jean-Michel Renault, an apparent relation of his original character.

The news of the Walter’s death was confirmed by his son, screenwriter Zak Olkewicz.

In a statement, he said that Walter died on Tuesday at his home in California, with The Hollywood Reporter stating he’d undergone “a series of knee surgeries that caused infections”, leading to him taking a break from his acting career.

“He was a good man who pushed his love for creativity and the arts into everything he did,” Zak said of his father.

“He handed that passion down to me, and I look forward to passing it on to the grandchildren he loved so much.”

Zak also wrote in a separate Facebook post that while Walter’s death was “sudden”, adding: “I don’t believe he woke up or was in any pain or fear.

“He was a lot of great things, but mostly he was a good good person in his heart, and I know from the outreach of kind words from everyone he will be missed by the world as much as by his family,” he added.

Walter’s other notable credits included the 90s sitcom Grace Under Fire, Seinfeld and the Dolly Parton variety show Dolly!.

His last on-screen role was in 2017, when he appeared in two episodes of the Twin Peaks: The Return.