Edward Herrmann, best known for his role as Richard Gilmore on TV’s Gilmore Girls, died today at a hospital in New York, according to TMZ, which reports that the actor had been battling brain cancer. He was 71.

The Washington D.C.-born Herrmann had been in ICU for the last 3 1/2 weeks and when his condition did not improve, his family made the decision to have him taken off the respirator, the actor’s family reportedly told TMZ.