By Sandra Birungi

Lou Myers of ‘A Different World’ is dead. Myers died Tuesday night in West Virginia at Charleston Area Medical Center aged 76.

His death was announced by Tonia McDonald of Myers’ nonprofit, Global Business Incubation Inc. who said that the deceased has been in and out of hospital since Christmas and recently collapsed.

Best known and remembered for his role as Mr. Gains in ‘A Different World’, Myers was a native of Chesapeake, W.Va. but had returned to the state and lived in the Charleston area. Myers said he owed his career in Hollywood to Bill Cosby who introduced him to the world. Myers also stirred on The Cosby Show and other television shows like NYPD Blue, E.R. and Touched by an Angel among others. His movie credits include Tin Cup, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Wedding Planner.

“A Different World” ran from 1987-93 and originally starred Lisa Bonet from “Cosby” fame. Myers said he owed his introduction to Hollywood to Bill Cosby.

Apart from acting, Myers also sang. According to a biography provided by McDonald, Myers began singing jazz and blues with the touring company of “Negro Music in Vogue”. He was also the chairman of Global Business Incubation that helps urban small businesses and chairman of the Lou Myers Scenario Motion Picture Institute/Theatre.

An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the official cause of death.

Myers is survived by his son and his 95-year-old mother.