One of TV, film and theatre鈥檚 most popular local faces is gone.

91原创 actor and writer Michael Roberds 鈥� best known to many fans as Uncle Fester in TV鈥檚 The New Addams Family passed away suddenly Sunday night.

Roberds, who died in 91原创 Memorial Hospital shortly before midnight, was 52.

The always affable, universally well-liked performer鈥檚 natural comedy timing and knack of creating instantly-relatable characters won him many featured roles in Vancouver-filmed television movies and series, such as Once Upon A Time, Robson Arms and Da Vinci鈥檚 Town Hall.

His work included featured roles in theatrical movies 鈥� including such comedies as Ernest Goes To School, Happy Gilmore, Elf and Hot Tub Time Machine 鈥� after he turned professional in 1987.

He was also a regular writer for TV Week and entertainment commentator on CKNW.

Roberds, who grew up in 91原创, had acted through his high school years and made his community theatre debut in White Rock Players Club鈥檚 production of Ninotchka in 1984.

He also acted in productions for XEmpt Theatre, was a founder-member of the comedy sketch troupe Almost Midnight, a regular contributor to the Shaw Cable program Pacific Profiles, and served as host/co-creator/producer for the talk show RoundTable.

His most recent role was in the TV movie Adventures in Babysitting, due to be aired next month.

But his highest-profile gig was his role as Fester Addams in The New Addams Family 鈥� in which he co-starred with Semiahmoo Peninsula resident Ellie Harvie.

The series, which shot 65 episodes in an intensive production schedule in 1998 and 1999, was still winning him fans after years in international syndication.

Roberds鈥� family, in a statement posted on Facebook, said: 鈥淲e are devastated to mourn the loss of a beloved brother, son, uncle, and friend. (He) brought joy and laughter to the lives of everyone he met鈥� you could not have met a more kindhearted, friendly soul.

鈥淲ords cannot express the emotions we are going through, but as a family we are grateful for all those who impacted his life for the better, and helped make life-long memories.鈥�

Roberds, who wrote the column Couch Critic for the 91原创 Times for a number of years, was featured in a 2012 special section called Our 91原创. Our People.

In the profile, Roberds, who supplemented his income by working part time at a 91原创 video store, recalled a particularly funny instance when his two worlds collided:

鈥淥ne night the phone in the video store rang and one of his co-workers picked it up. It was a customer who鈥檇 been in earlier that evening and rented Hot Tub Time Machine.

鈥淚 know I sound crazy and I鈥檝e been drinking a little tonight,鈥� said the voice on the other end, 鈥渂ut is the guy who rented me the movie, IN the movie?鈥欌��

A career as a character actor opened some rather unexpected doors and Roberds happily barrelled through them.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檝e been stereotyped. I鈥檝e played everything from a serious bad guy to the owner of a sausage restaurant,鈥� he said.

鈥淚鈥檓 happily burning the candle at both ends.

鈥淚鈥檝e been doing this for 25 years, so I take things as they come. I do everything I think I can do to forward my career.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been nobody around to show me how to do it.

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 slashing through brush to get to the top of the mountain, and when I get there someone鈥檚 going to say, 鈥榊ou know, there鈥檚 a staircase right there.鈥欌��

鈥� with files from Brenda Anderson