Ernie Lively, an actor and the father of “Gossip Girl” star Blake Lively, has died at the age of 74.
Ernie, who played Blake’s father in two “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” movies, passed away on June 3 from cardiac complications, his family announced (via The Hollywood Reporter).
At the end, Ernie, who died in Los Angeles, was “surrounded by” his wife, Elaine Lively, and the couple’s children: Blake, “Teen Witch” star Robyn Lively, Lori Lively, Jason Lively and Eric Lively, who are all actors, according to THR.
Ernie’s work with daughter Blake in the popular “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” flicks in 2005 and 2008 came decades after his showbiz career started in the 1970s with roles on TV’s “The Waltons,” “Fantasy Island” and, later, “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Murder, She Wrote” and “The West Wing.”
On the big screen, Ernie had roles in films including the Tom Hanks flick “Turner & Hooch” in 1989 and “The Beverly Hillbillies” in 1993.
He was also well known for his acting coaching.
Before making his way to Hollywood, Ernie was an English professor and a US Marine Corps captain who served in Vietnam, THR reported.
In 2013, Ernie underwent groundbreaking heart surgery that injected his own stem cells into his heart to repair damage, according to People.
“I woke up the other morning and told my wife, ‘I haven’t felt this good in years,’” Ernie told People after the retrograde gene therapy procedure. “I moved to Utah because of the snow, but I haven’t been able to ski. I literally didn’t have the heart to do it. Now, I’m excited about living the rest of my life instead of sitting around.”