Comedian and actor Pat Finn died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday December 23 at the age of 60 following a private battle with cancer. The veteran star appeared in hit shows, including Friends, The Middle, Seinfeld and The George Wendt Show. His family were by his side as he passed away and confirmed the news in a statement saying “he was a warrior in every sense of the word”. He had previously been diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2022, and went into remission, but the cancer returned and metastasized.
On November 25, friends of the family had set up a GoFundMe for Pat as his condition worsened and became more “complicated and challenging”. At time of writing it had made $118,495 of it’s $130,000 target. Explaining the purpose of the fundraiser they wrote: “The Finn family, cherished friends of so many of us, are truly in a tough spot. Pat has been battling cancer on and off for the better part of three years. Throughout the grueling and painful process that is Pat’s fight against this insidious disease, the family has been a rock of support for each other.
“Pat, Donna, Cassidy, Caitlin, and Ryan have demonstrated enormous strength every day, supporting each other as Pat’s fight has become more complicated, challenging, and physically difficult.”
They continued: “As friends, we all continue to offer our help, and it’s now time to expand that support into fundraising. Pat and Donna have been reluctant to express any need. Nonetheless, it has become apparent that ongoing medical treatment, alternative therapies, and residual financial demands have created significant financial burdens for the family.
“While we understand that many of us have various financial challenges during these turbulent times. The Finns need us. Giving any amount will have an impact. We’ve started with a modest goal, but we plan to continue to increase our goal as donations come in. Please donate today. Thank you so much,” the message concluded.
Pat was a huge hit with fans of Friends when he played Dr. Roger for two episodes in 2000. The character was a surgical resident who dated Monica Gellar (played by Courtney Cox in the alternate universe episodes “The One That Could Have Been”.
From 2011-2018 he starred in The Middle playing a character called Bill Norwood for 23 episodes. His Seinfeld character Joe Mayo, who he played in season 9 proved a hit with fans who still reference him online.
His last on screen appearance was in the 2023 film Unexpected which saw him star opposite Pitch Perfect’s Anna Camp.
Tributes flooded in for the star as the news broke. “Pat Finn will be forever missed! A big brother someone you could count on in life, friendship and definitely a laugh! One of the first people i met while studying/performing improv at iO and Second City for 38 years. Love you Patty boy,” one friend wrote. “Oh, man, I just heard about the passing of Pat Finn. As a fan of The Middle, I always enjoyed seeing Bill Norwood pop up. My condolences to all who knew and worked with him, but particularly his improv cohorts in Beer Shark Mice, including Neil Flynn and David Koechner,” another added.
A third chimed in: “Pat was simply a great human being and his humor was a beautiful bit of icing on the cake. RIP Pat.” Meanwhile a fourth shared: “Pat Finn was made of fun and funny and true kindness. He was an exceptionally devoted husband, father, and had the rare ability to be a friend to everyone..He will always be remembered so he will never be forgotten. What a gift.”