NEW DELHI, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Indian veteran actor and theatre personality Tom Alter passed away at the age of 67 at his Mumbai residence, family members said Saturday.
The Padma Shri awardee, the fourth highest civilian award in India, breathed his last late Friday night. He was suffering from squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer).
"It is with sadness we announce the death of Tom Alter, actor, writer, director, Padma Shri, and our dear husband and father. Tom passed away Friday night at home with his family and close family members in attendance. We ask for their privacy to be respected at this time," Tom Alter's son Jamie Alter said in an official statement.
The Indian actor of American descent made his big screen debut in 1976 with a small role in Bollywood film Charas and later went on to work in dozens of films and soap operas.
Alter's grandparents migrated to India from Ohio, United States in November 1916 and settled here. He was born in Mussoorie in 1950.
Alter is survived by his wife Carol, son Jamie, and daughter Afshaan.
