Source: ETOnline.com
Stephen Furst, the actor who played the frat-boy-party-animal Kent “Flounder” Dorfman in National Lampoon’s Animal House, has died due to complications from diabetes on Friday, June 16th. He was 63-years-old.
The actor’s sons, Nathan and Griffith, wrote on his Facebook page, “Steve has an extensive list of accomplishments. He was known to the world as a brilliant actor and filmmaker, but to his family and many close friends he was also a beloved husband, father and kind friend whose memory will always be a blessing.”
The statement continued, “to truly honor him, do not cry for Stephen Furst. But rather, enjoy memories of all the times he made you snicker, laugh, or even snort to your embarrassment.”
The actor believed that laughter is the best therapy, and it was his mission to make as many people laugh as possible.
Rather than being sad, Stephen’s family wants his fans to remember him by making others happy and celebrating his films and his jokes to light up the room.
When Stephen’s son Nathan was speaking to CNN about his father’s untimely death, he said the battle with diabetes was gradually getting worse in the past few years.
He explained the typical symptoms of diabetes began to manifest themselves in his father before he finally died.
Furst has an extensive list of accolades and experience in the entertainment industry.
Not only did Stephen star in the film Animal House, but he also appeared on TV in Babylon 5 from 1994 until 1998 and in St. Elsewhere from 1983 to 1988.
The National Lampoon’s alumni had been struggling with the disease for over twenty years.
He was diagnosed with diabetes in 1996. However, Stephen is survived by his sons and his wife of 41-years, Lorraine Wright. The comic legend was known for acting but also for philanthropic causes such as the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.
