Chris Sievey - the man behind cult comedy creation Frank Sidebottom - has died at the age of 54 after collapsing at his home.
Although TV work faded, Frank kept a loyal crowd at gigs.
The comedian passed away after being taken to hospital from his home in Hale, Cheshire, shortly after 1am.
He had been recovering from recent treatment to a tumour on his chest.
Despite his illness, Sievey was still gigging as his over-sized, papier-mâché headed alter ego only last week.
He had found fame with the sharp-suited character - an aspiring singer-songwriter from Timperley, south Manchester - through a series of TV appearances in the 1980s.
His TV fame peaked in the early 1990s with his own series, Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show.
The comic creation's songwriting skills included parodies of Smiths songs, a medley of Queen hits and a Beatles tribute.
David Behrens, who produced the 1992 ITV series, praised Sievey as a "genuinely funny and creative comic talent" who had built up a "huge and loyal base of fans".
"He had been ill recently but his death is terribly sudden and sad," Mr Behrens added.
"He came from a great comedy tradition in refusing to acknowledge his real identity when he was in character.
"As soon as the prop head went on, he'd answer to Frank, never Chris. A real one-of-a-kind."
Paying tribute to him as a "nice bloke", his agent Nigel Round said Sievey had planned to come out from under the papier-mâché mask in the coming years.
"Everyone kept it really quiet. We were probably only 12 months from him uncovering himself," Mr Round said.
Although TV work faded, Frank kept a loyal crowd at gigs.
The comedian passed away after being taken to hospital from his home in Hale, Cheshire, shortly after 1am.
He had been recovering from recent treatment to a tumour on his chest.
Despite his illness, Sievey was still gigging as his over-sized, papier-mâché headed alter ego only last week.
He had found fame with the sharp-suited character - an aspiring singer-songwriter from Timperley, south Manchester - through a series of TV appearances in the 1980s.
His TV fame peaked in the early 1990s with his own series, Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show.
The comic creation's songwriting skills included parodies of Smiths songs, a medley of Queen hits and a Beatles tribute.
David Behrens, who produced the 1992 ITV series, praised Sievey as a "genuinely funny and creative comic talent" who had built up a "huge and loyal base of fans".
"He had been ill recently but his death is terribly sudden and sad," Mr Behrens added.
"He came from a great comedy tradition in refusing to acknowledge his real identity when he was in character.
"As soon as the prop head went on, he'd answer to Frank, never Chris. A real one-of-a-kind."
Paying tribute to him as a "nice bloke", his agent Nigel Round said Sievey had planned to come out from under the papier-mâché mask in the coming years.
"Everyone kept it really quiet. We were probably only 12 months from him uncovering himself," Mr Round said.