James Michael Tyler (???-2021)

was an American actor best known for his role as Gunther on the NBC sitcom Friends. James Michael Tyler was born the youngest of five children on May 28, 1962, in Greenwood, Mississippi. He was named after his uncle. Tyler's hometown was Winona, Mississippi.

When he was 10 years old his father died, a former USAF captain, and when he was 11 years old, his mother died. At age 12, Tyler moved to Anderson, South Carolina to live with his sister.

He graduated from Anderson College (now Anderson University) with a two-year degree in 1982 and Clemson University with a degree in geology in 1984. During his time at Clemson, he was a member of a student theatre group, the Clemson Players. This experience sparked his interest in becoming an actor. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Georgia in 1987. From 1994 to 2004, James Michael Tyler played Gunther on the sitcom Friends. Gunther was a coffee shop worker at Central Perk who had unrequited love for Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston. This led to a ten-year career with appearances in 148 of Friends' 236 episodes; he is the show's most-frequently-appearing recurring character actor.

In honor of Friends' 15th anniversary in 2009, Tyler officially opened the temporary Central Perk pop up replica in London. It was open for two weeks from September to October and fans could apply for tickets to receive a free coffee and see memorabilia from the show. He appeared in the unaired pilot satire sitcom Nobody's Watching, playing himself on the set of Central Perk.

In honour of Friends' 20th anniversary in 2014, Tyler made appearances at a Central Perk replica in SoHo.