Actor Hiram Kasten, famous for his roles in TV shows like “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and “Saved By the Bell,” has passed away at 71.
His wife, Diana Kisiel Kastenbaum, shared the sad news on Facebook, mentioning that Hiram had been fighting prostate cancer. He passed away at home in Batavia, New York, in Diana’s arms, just hours after their 38th wedding anniversary.
Alongside his battle with cancer, Hiram had also been dealing with Crohn’s disease for seven years. Though he had to step back from his career in 2017 due to health issues, he only shared the seriousness of his condition with friends in the last six months.
Despite his health struggles, Hiram was surrounded by love and laughter from his comedy and artistic community, which helped extend his life for another two months. Friends visited him in Batavia, and they had late-night Zoom meetings that lasted for hours.
A funeral service will be held in Forest Hills, New York, with an official memorial service planned for Los Angeles, California, later this summer.
Hiram is best remembered for his role as Michael on “Seinfeld” and for his stand-up comedy in New York City, where he became a regular at The Comic Strip and formed a lasting friendship with Jerry Seinfeld, who helped him kickstart his career.