He was a proud Canadian, best known as the beloved dad on the long running television sitcom Growing Pains. Alan Thicke has died at the age of 69.

His son Robin says the Kirkland Lake, Ontario native died from a heart attack yesterday in Los Angeles after playing hockey with his 19 year old son Carter.

Robin called his father “the greatest man I ever met” and said the beloved actor “was always a gentleman.”

In 2013, Thicke received a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame here in Toronto and spoke about his life following the ceremony.

“I started out in Northern Ontario in a very small humble town and I didn’t even see a television set until I was 7 years old. So when you take that moment and fast forward to what I’m experiencing today with my family here and this wonderful warm crowd and feeling embraced by my country, it’s unique,” Thicke told reporters.

Alan Thicke was a popular talk show host on Canadian television before making his name in the United States.

He was nominated for three Emmy Awards in the late 1970s as a writer for Barry Manilow’s talk show, and later for a satirical take on the genre in the variety show America 2-Night.

In the early 80’s, Thicke starred on Thicke of the Night, a talk-music-and-comedy show designed to go up against Johnny Carson.

Thicke composed several theme songs, including the The Wheel of Fortune tune and for shows such as The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes.

Anne Murray is one of several Canadian entertainers to mourn Thicke’s death, saying she was “shocked and devastated” by the news. William Shatner also says he’s saddened over the loss of his friend.