‘Cocoon’ Actor Wilford Brimley Dies At 85

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NEW YORK - DECEMBER 14: Actor Wilford Brimley attends the premiere of "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" at Ziegfeld Theatre on December 14, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

Wilford Brimley, the mustached actor known for Cocoon, The Natural and The Firm, has died. He was 85.

The actor died Saturday morning at a Utah hospital, according to his manager, Lynda Bensky. He was on dialysis and had several medical issues.

“Wilford Brimley was a man you could trust,” Bensky said. “He said what he meant and he meant what he said. He had a gruff exterior and a tender heart. I’m sad that I will no longer get to hear my friend’s wonderful stories. He was one of a kind.”

He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 27, 1934. Brimley is best known for his role in Cocoon, where he was one of a group of older adults who discover aliens and gain youthful rejuvenation from them. The film won two Academy Awards, and Brimley returned for a 1988 sequel.