Glee heart throb Cory Monteith found dead in Vancouver hotel room

The entertainment world reacted with shock and sorrow on Sunday following the death of Cory Monteith, one of the stars of the hit musical series Glee.

The 31-year-old actor was found dead in his room at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel, in Vancouver, Canada, shortly after midday on Saturday, when he missed his check out time. Police said they did not suspect foul play, though the cause of death was not immediately apparent.

Mr Monteith, who had played front man and heart throb Finn Hudson since the hit show began in 2009, had been treated for drug addiction and reportedly had a history of substance-abuse.

Monteith’s Glee co-stars were among the first to express their grief at the news of his passing. “My heart is broken,” wrote Dot-Marie Jones, who plays coach Shannon Bieste, on Twitter. Mark Salling, who played Finn’s best friend Puck, tweeted the single word, “no”; the message, since deleted, was re-tweeted almost 12,000 times.

The show’s producers and 20th Century Fox Television said in a statement that Monteith “was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person. He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously.” A spokesman for Monteith’s girlfriend and fellow Glee star, Lea Michele, described the news as “devastating”, and asked that Michele’s privacy be respected.

Mr Monteith was born in Calgary, Alberta in 1982, and moved to Vancouver Island as a child. According to his biography on the Fox website, he held a variety of jobs before turning to acting, and had worked as a Wal-Mart greeter, school bus driver, roofer and cab driver. His television credits included roles in Smallville, Supernatural and Stargate, and he had appeared on film in Final Destination 3, The Invisible and Deck the Halls.

In March, Monteith, whose Glee character was a high-school football player-turned-glee club – or musical group – singer, voluntarily entered a rehabilitation facility for an unspecified substance addiction. At the time, Michele told People magazine that she loved and supported her boyfriend and was proud that he was seeking help.

It was not the actor’s first time in rehab. He had also received similar treatment when he was 19, and spoke openly about his addiction struggles, saying he had a serious problem and took “ anything and everything”. In 2011, Monteith told Parade magazine that he believed he was “lucky to be alive”

Monteith had checked into the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel on July 6, and was due to check out on Saturday, Vancouver Police Department acting chief Doug LePard told reporters.

Others were in the hotel room with Monteith on Friday night, but evidence including his fob key entries indicate he returned to his room by himself early on Saturday and was alone when he died, police said.

LePard said he wanted to offer condolences "to the family, friends, castmates and millions of fans of Mr. Monteith".

Coroner Lisa Lapointe said: "We do not have a great deal of information as to cause of death."

Montieth's spokeswoman, Melissa Kates, said in a statement, "We are so saddened to confirm that the reports on the death of Cory Monteith are accurate."

"I have no words! My heart is broken," Dot-Marie Jones, who plays football coach Shannon Beiste on Glee, said in a post on her Twitter account on Saturday night. She called Mr Monteitha "hell of a friend" and an "amazing" man.

"What an absolutely tragic loss of a very talented young man," tweeted Zooey Deschanel, star of another Fox show, New Girl.

Fox and the producers of Glee, including 20th Century Fox Television, called him an exceptional performer "and an even more exceptional person.

He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously".

"We are in shock and mourning this tragic loss," his representatives at Viewpoint Public Relations in Los Angeles said in a statement.

According to his biography on Fox's website, Mr Monteith was born in Calgary, Alberta, and moved to Vancouver Island as a child.

Before turning to acting, he held a variety of jobs including Wal-Mart greeter, school bus driver, roofer and cab driver.

Mr Monteith's TV credits included roles on the series "Kaya and Kyle XY and guest appearances on Smallville, 'Supernatural, Stargate, Flash Gordon and Interns.

His film credits included Final Destination 3, 'The Invisible, Deck the Halls and Whisper.

An autopsy on Monteith was set for Monday, police said.

Video: Tribute paid to Cory Monteith