Showrunner remembers Malcolm Jamal Warner amid final TV appearance: ‘lost him far too soon’

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s final TV appearance is in Tuesday’s episode of the Fox show “Murder in a Small Town.”

Warner, who starred as Bill Cosby’s on-screen son Heathcliff Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” from 1984 to 1992, tragically died of an accidental drowning on July 20 while swimming during a vacation to Costa Rica.

“Murder in a Small Town” showrunner, writer, and executive producer Ian Weir exclusively told The Post, “It was terrible, absolutely terrible. We lost him far too soon. He was absolutely wonderful. I hadn’t let myself dare hope that someone of his stature would be drawn to that role.” 

He explained that Warner’s character on the show is, “a struggling single dad who is fiercely protective of his teenage daughter. What he brought to the role is so inspirational.” 

Warner himself was a father, as he had an 8 year old daughter with his wife, Tenisha Warner. 

Called “Mother Love” (airing 8 p.m on Fox), the episode sees Warner play Richard Bannister, a father who wants to protect his daughter as his ex-wife turns up dead, and there’s a murder investigation.  

Now in its second season, the show is about Chief of Police Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland, son of Donald) as he investigates various murders in their small town of Gibsons, British Columbia. “Smallville” star Kristin Kreuk co-stars as Cassandra, the local librarian who is Karl’s love interest.

Warner was on the show as a one episode guest star. 

Weir told The Post that Warner’s performance made his character become “the emotional heart of the story…in a way, where, I’m the guy who wrote the darn thing, and I hadn’t quite seen that until Malcolm- Jamal inhabited the role. It was simply magical. He was a really lovely man.” 

Weir recalled “The Resident” actor as being “collaborative” and “dedicated to the craft.” 

He said that having Warner on set was “special for everyone,” because “so many people on the crew and in the cast had grown up watching him on “The Cosby Show.’” 

When asked if Weir had to edit anything on the episode after Warner’s death, he said he didn’t. 

“The episode plays exactly as it had been [planned].” 

His death was “an awful loss,” he said. 

Sutherland told The Post that while they were filming on set, the clock was “ticking.” 

“So, I didn’t unfortunately have the opportunity to get to know him all that much as a person.” 

The show’s star added, “But as an artist, he was given the part of a father raising his child on his own, and he brought so much heart to it.” 

Amid last-minute script changes, “he was always able to work on the fly,” Sutherland recalled. 

He added, “He was one of those rare actors who was also quick on his feet. It’s hard to believe this was his last part, and that I had the privilege of being that actor who got to work with him. He was a generous soul, a lovely presence on set, and kind and humble.”