‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ actor Michael Constantine dies

The patriarch of the Portokalos family in the hit film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” has died.

Michael Constantine was 94.

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Constantine was a character actor with 182 credits under his belt, according to his IMDB page.

He started his acting career on the New York stage in the 1950s before moving to California, the Reading Eagle reported.

He won an Emmy for his role as principal Seymour Kaufman in “Room 222,″ CNN reported.

Constantine also appeared in “My Favorite Martian,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Bonanza,” “Hogan’s Heroes,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “The Fugitive.”

But he may be best known as Gus Portokalos in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and its sequel.

That was his last role according to IMDB.

He died on Aug. 31 in Reading, Pennsylvania, at his home, after a long illness, which was not disclosed, the Reading Eagle reported.

He was born Gus Efstration on May 22, 1928, to Greek immigrant parents.

He graduated from Reading High School in 1946 and his family said he never forgot his roots.

“Last week he could still sing all four stanzas of the Reading High School alma mater (anthem) from memory,” brother-in-law Michael Gordon told the paper. “He’s always considered himself a Reading native. People would come up and say, ‘You’re from California,’ (and he’d say) ‘Oh no, I’m from Reading.’”

His memory was honored by his on-screen daughter, Nia Vardalos on Twitter, who said Constantine was “the dad to our cast-family,” Variety reported.

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