Dennis Franz pays tribute to Austin Majors, his late NYPD Blue son

Dennis Franz is mourning the untimely death of his NYPD Blue son, Austin Majors.

In a statement provided to EW on Wednesday, Franz said he was "shocked and saddened" to learn of his former costar's death at 27 this past weekend. "Austin was always such a joy to have on the set, he brought smiles and happiness to everyone," he recalled.

Franz, who played the lead role of Detective Andy Sipowicz on the long-running police drama, said some of his favorite scenes involved Majors, who portrayed his young son, Theo. He added, "Every day that Austin worked I would greet him with a special song, 'It's Austin Major's Day' sung to the tune of 'Howdy Doody Time.'"

Franz concluded by noting that though he and Majors hadn't stayed in touch since NYPD Blue ended in 2005, "I will always remember him fondly. My love and condolences to his family."

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Dennis Franz and Austin Majors on 'NYPD Blue'

Majors, who also went by Austin Majors Setmajer-Raglin, appeared on NYPD Blue from 1999 to 2004, and his work earned him a Young Artists Award for Best Performance in a Television Series. His other screen credits included the TV series According to Jim, ER, Desperate Housewives, NCIS, American Dad, and How I Met Your Mother, and the films Treasure Planet, The Price of Air, Little Manhattan, and The Ant Bully.

Majors graduated from the University of Southern California, where he studied film production and cinematography, and he also created music under the moniker Pope. His family remembered him as an "artistic, brilliant, and kind human being."

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