Actor/singer Lou Myers, best known as the restaurant owner Mr Gaines on A Different World, passed away today after a short illness at the age of 76.

A native of Chesapeake, West Virginia, Myers had returned to the state and lived in the Charleston, W. VA area.

Though, of course, best known for his role as Mr Gaines on World from 1988-1993, Myers appeared in some 44 film and TV roles. He also appeared on the stage in August Wilson's The Piano Lesson and King Hedley IV, for which he won the NAACP Best Actor award in a stage production. Among his other stage roles were Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Color Purple on Broadway.

As a singer and performer he performed in his own cabaret show in New York and Los Angeles, as well as Berlin, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Myers was also chairman of Global Business Incubation that helped urban small businesses, and chairman of the Lou Myers Scenario Motion Picture Institute/Theatre.