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Charles Kimbrough, who played anchor in 'Murphy Brown,' dies

  • FILE - Charles Kimbrough, right, poses with Candice Bergen, a fellow cast member of the "Murphy Brown" TV series, as they are reunited for a segment of the NBC "Today" program in New York, on Feb. 27, 2008. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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    Obit Charles Kimbrough

    FILE - Charles Kimbrough, right, poses with Candice Bergen, a fellow cast member of the "Murphy Brown" TV series, as they are reunited for a segment of the NBC "Today" program in New York, on Feb. 27, 2008. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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  • FILE - Actor Charles Kimbrough arrives to the TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary in New York, Saturday, April 14, 2012. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)
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    Obit Charles Kimbrough

    FILE - Actor Charles Kimbrough arrives to the TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary in New York, Saturday, April 14, 2012. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)
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  • FILE - Cast members of the "Murphy Brown" TV series, from left, Candice Bergen, Charles Kimbrough, Faith Ford and Joe Regalbuto, pose for a photo as they are reunited for a segment of the NBC "Today" program in New York, Feb. 27, 2008. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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    Obit Charles Kimbrough

    FILE - Cast members of the "Murphy Brown" TV series, from left, Candice Bergen, Charles Kimbrough, Faith Ford and Joe Regalbuto, pose for a photo as they are reunited for a segment of the NBC "Today" program in New York, Feb. 27, 2008. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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  • FILE - The original Broadway cast of "Sunday in the Park with George," Mandy Patinkin, Charles Kimbrough, top left, and Bernadette Peters, bottom right, join director James Lapine and composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim, top right, at the Lyceum Theater in New York, Saturday, May 14, 1994. The musical by Lapine and Sondheim won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
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    Obit Charles Kimbrough

    FILE - The original Broadway cast of "Sunday in the Park with George," Mandy Patinkin, Charles Kimbrough, top left, and Bernadette Peters, bottom right, join director James Lapine and composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim, top right, at the Lyceum Theater in New York, Saturday, May 14, 1994. The musical by Lapine and Sondheim won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
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  • FILE - Actor Charles Kimbrough arrives to the TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary in New York, Saturday, April 14, 2012. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)
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    Obit Charles Kimbrough

    FILE - Actor Charles Kimbrough arrives to the TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary in New York, Saturday, April 14, 2012. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)
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FILE - Charles Kimbrough, right, poses with Candice Bergen, a fellow cast member of the "Murphy Brown" TV series, as they are reunited for a segment of the NBC "Today" program in New York, on Feb. 27, 2008. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
FILE - Actor Charles Kimbrough arrives to the TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary in New York, Saturday, April 14, 2012. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)
FILE - Cast members of the "Murphy Brown" TV series, from left, Candice Bergen, Charles Kimbrough, Faith Ford and Joe Regalbuto, pose for a photo as they are reunited for a segment of the NBC "Today" program in New York, Feb. 27, 2008. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
FILE - The original Broadway cast of "Sunday in the Park with George," Mandy Patinkin, Charles Kimbrough, top left, and Bernadette Peters, bottom right, join director James Lapine and composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim, top right, at the Lyceum Theater in New York, Saturday, May 14, 1994. The musical by Lapine and Sondheim won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)
FILE - Actor Charles Kimbrough arrives to the TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary in New York, Saturday, April 14, 2012. Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on "Murphy Brown," died Jan. 11, 2023, in Culver City, Calif. He was 86. The New York Times first reported his death Sunday, Feb 5. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes, File)
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Associated Press
·1 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charles Kimbrough, a Tony- and Emmy-nominated actor who played a straight-laced news anchor opposite Candice Bergen on “Murphy Brown,” died Jan. 11 in Culver City, California. He was 86.

Kimbrough played newsman Jim Dial across the 10 seasons of CBS hit sitcom “Murphy Brown" between 1988 and 1998, earning an Emmy nomination in 1990 for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series. He reprised the role for three episodes in the 2018 reboot.

The New York Times first reported his death and his son and agents confirmed it Sunday to The Associated Press.

“Whether on stage or in front of the camera he was a joy to behold,” said SMS Talent, Inc., the talent agency that represented Kimbrough.

The agency said the actor died of natural causes in a hospital.