Comedic actor Len Lesser, best remembered for his role as Jerry Seinfeld’s Uncle Leo, past away Wednesday in Burbank, California.
According to his family, Lesser died at 88 of a cancer-related pneumonia. “Heaven got a great comedian and actor today,” his daughter Michele said in a statement.
Uncle Leo’s signature “Jerry! Hello!” stole scenes throughout Seinfeld’s run. “He’s the kind of guy who is a total nuisance at times and the kind of guy you avoid,” Lesser told the Los Angeles Times in 1998. “He’s a very expansive character, and that has an attraction to it.”
(More on TIME.com: See TIME’s cover story on Seinfeld.)
In addition to rolls in 15 episodes of Seinfeld, Lesser appeared in several other TV shows including Everybody Loves Raymond, ER, Kojak, and All in the Family. His acting rolls date back to 1954.
Lesser grew up in New York, graduating from City College in 1942 with a degree in economics. Afterward, he served in the U.S. Army in World War II. He is survived by two children and three grandchildren.
Watch one of Lesser’s memorable performances as Uncle Leo:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URSiLj8RF-0&w=450]