Twin Peaks star, Warren Frost, has died at the age of 91.

The American actor, who played Dr Will Hayward on the show, passed away at his home in Middlebury in Vermont on Friday morning following a long illness.

Also known for his roles on hit shows Matlock and Seinfeld, among a number of television and film appearances, his son Mark said in a statement: “(He) taught us that a life devoted to telling the right kind of truths can make a real difference in the lives of others.”

According to biographers, Warren served in the Second World War aboard a ship that took part in the 1944 Allied D-Day invasion.

He went on to attend Middlebury College in Vermont, where he met his future wife, Virginia Calhoun, before moving to New York and kicking off his screen career with jobs such as stage managing early shows.

In 1958, he moved to Los Angeles and began regular work on TV series Dragnet, moving on to appear in films The Mating Game and It Started With A Kiss.

He earned a master’s degree from Occidental College in California and a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, where he took on a role in the theatre department for the next 20 years.

He relaunched his TV career in Los Angeles in the 1990s, starring as Mr Ross in Seinfeld and Billy in Matlock.

Most recently, he reprised his Twin Peaks role for an upcoming Showtime sequel to the 1990-91 cult drama, set to debut in May.

Warren is survived by his wife, sons Mark and Scott, daughter Lindsay and three grandchildren.