'Sesame Street' star Horst Janson has died at the age of 89

A post on the 'Sesamstrasse' Instagram page reads: "It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Horst Janson, who enchanted us with his warmth and smile as "Horst" on Sesame Street. His performances made generations of children laugh and taught us valuable lessons. His loss leaves a hole in our hearts. Rest in peace, dear Horst. [dove emoji] #HorstJanson #sesamstrasse (sic)"

The heartfelt post also features a black-and-white photograph of Horst on the 'Sesamstrasse' set.

Horst began his acting career while he was still in school, starring in a series of theatre productions.

He subsequently studied at the Wiesbaden School for Acting, before he appeared in 'Lorenzaccio', the Alfred de Musset-written romantic play.

Horst made his film debut in 1959, when he appeared in 'The Buddenbrooks', a film adaptation of Thomas Mann's 1901 novel.

He also starred in a variety of German TV productions - such as 'SOKO Munchen', 'Rosenheim Cops', 'Kustenwache', and 'Sturm der Liebe' - during the course of his decades-long career in the entertainment business.

Horst appeared in a number of English-language films, too, including 'Murphy's War', the 1971 war movie that also featured Peter O'Toole and Dame Sian Phillips.

Despite this, Horst is best remembered for his starring role on 'Sesamstrasse'. He appeared intermittently on the TV show from 1980 until 1985, leaving a lasting impression on a generation of children in German-speaking countries.

The actor is survived by his wife, Hella, and their two daughters.