Scott Wilson, the actor who portrayed Hershel on “The Walking Dead,” has died. He was 76.

Wilson had been battling cancer. His death was confirmed in a message posted on the Twitter page of “The Walking Dead,” which sent condolences to the actor’s family and friends.

“We are deeply saddened to report that Scott Wilson, the incredible actor who played Hershel on #TheWalkingDead, has passed away at the age of 76,” the tweet read. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in paradise, Scott. We love you!”

On the show, Wilson played Hershel, father of Maggie, who is played by Lauren Cohan. Wilson joined “The Walking Dead” in Season 2, but his character died during Season 4.

Showrunner Angela Kang said Saturday at New York Comic-Con that Wilson had been scheduled to return for the show’s new season, but no additional details were available.

Wilson was born in Georgia on March 29, 1942, and hitchhiked to Los Angeles after graduating from high school.

He eventually got roles in films such as “The Great Gatsby,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “The Ninth Configuration,” “In Cold Blood,” and “The Right Stuff.”