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'Touched By An Angel' Star John Dye Dies At 47

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS/AP) — Actor John Dye, who played the Angel of Death on the hit CBS series "Touched by an Angel" was found dead in his San Francisco home Monday.

Dye was 47.

A medical examiner said the cause of death has not been determined but family members have said the actor suffered from heart failure.

A Memphis TV station quotes Dye's father as saying his son "was very giving" and when not acting Dye was a frequent presence at fundraisers for Make A Wish or AIDS charities.

Valerie Bertinelli, a "Touched By An Angel" co-star tweeted Thursday, "Dear, sweet John Dye, rest in peace."

Dye started out in community theater in his native Memphis. Small roles led to the Angel of Death (AKA Andrew)  in 1994. He stayed with the hit CBS show all nine seasons.

Some of Dye's other credits include "Murder, She Wrote," "Promised Land," "The Perfect Weapon" and "Billionaire Boys Club."

Dye would have been 48 on January 31.

(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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