Veteran soap opera actor Charles Keating has died at the age of 72. His son, British-born Shakespearean actor, Sean Keating paid tribute to his dad.

Charles Keating, died of cancer at his home in Weston Connecticut, with his wife and sons at his side. He is best known for playing the role of the villainous Carl Hutchins on NBC's "Another World, according to Independent.ie.

The Daytime Emmy Award-winning actor was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago.

In an interview, Sean Keating remembered and paid tribute to his father saying "he had promised my mom when he was first diagnosed that he would make it to their 50^th anniversary. He almost made it almost to the hour."

"He was wonderfully eccentric in many ways but the most loving person," he adds.

Charles Keating died and his former co-stars took to their social media sites to confirm the news and share their messages of sympathy and condolences, reported E Online.

Alice Coppola wrote on her Twitter account on Saturday: "Charles Keating has passed. I am so very sad. Along w/ @LindaDano he was my very first acting teacher. The actress I am is because of them."

Former co-star Mark Pinter shared his sentiments on Facebook, quoting a line from Hamlet that said: "RIP - Charles Keating - 'He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again."

Charles Keating was born in London and moved to Canada with his family in his teens, and later to the United States. He worked as a hairdresser before getting acting jobs.

He was a part of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis before moving back to England to found a theater company in Sheffeld. He also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and acted on British Television.

Charles Keating's appearances in movies and TV include his stint in The Thomas Crown Affair and the mini-series Edward and Mrs Simpson.

He is survived by his wife, sons and six grandchildren.