The late Maury Chaykin is being hailed as "one of our greatest actors" and a performer who created "unforgettable characters" in the tributes emerging after his death on Tuesday.

Chaykin, the award-winning actor whose prolific career spanned films like Whale Music and Dances with Wolves to TV's Nero Wolfe, Entourage and Less Than Kind, died early Tuesday at Toronto General Hospital at the age of 61.

Though his spokesman did not elaborate on the cause of death, colleagues who had worked with Chaykin recently recalled he had battled health issues of late, including kidney problems.

Less Than Kind producer Mark McKinney, who described Chaykin as "one of our greatest actors," said the cast of the HBO Canada comedy was "reeling" from news of his death.

'He made a gourmet feast of every moment he was on screen, creating unforgettable characters who he pushed far beyond the writing on the page.'—Robert Lantos

"Maury's an actor of unparalleled gifts, you cannot learn what he had in spades — you could study for 1,000 years. He had an incredible gift, an instant quickness," McKinney said told The Canadian Press.

Film producer Robert Lantos praised Chaykin, the celebrated character actor, as "an icon."

"He made a gourmet feast of every moment he was on screen, creating unforgettable characters who he pushed far beyond the writing on the page," Lantos said in a statement.

"The refrain that for a great actor 'no part is too small,' must have been coined with him in mind."

Toronto International Film Festival director Piers Handling echoed the kudos for the sought-after character actor's ability to infuse smaller roles with importance.

"He always added such a wonderful dimension to the characters that he played," Handling said.

Friends, fans and colleagues are sharing tributes of the late Canadian actor Maury Chaykin, who died on Tuesday at the age of 61. (Zoran Milich/Canadian Press)"They were always memorable, no matter how small the roles were or medium-size the roles were. Maury was just a consummate professional, just sort of took over the screen."

Chaykin remained busy, with a few upcoming films and TV programs to serve as his final roles, including appearances in Barney's Version, the Lantos-produced film based on the Mordecai Richler novel, and the Showcase comedy Drunk and on Drugs Happy Funtime Hour.

Richard Lewis, who directed Chaykin in his Genie-winning turn in Whale Music and worked with him last fall for Barney's Version, noted that the actor had appeared sick during filming. However, he still participated in a key wedding scene for the movie.

"He was a man of integrity. He was a very upstanding fellow who was very loyal to his friends and always told the truth," Lewis said.

"He was just a very forthcoming fellow, very forthcoming and I'll miss him. I'll miss him dearly."

A memorial service is being planned.

With files from The Canadian Press