The son of the actor - who is known for his role as patriarch Richard Gilmore in 'Gilmore Girls' - confirmed the death.
The 71-year-old had been receiving treatment for brain cancer at a New York City hospital.
Fellow actress Kelly Bishop, who played the role of Richard Gilmore's wife said friends and family are saddened at the loss.
"We, the Gilmore Girls family, are so terribly sad and somewhat stunned. We only learned about his illness a week or so ago," she told TVLine.
I got a call from [Edward’s wife] Star Monday night asking if I wanted to come to the hospital to say good-bye. I went yesterday and was able to give Ed love from Lauren [Graham], Alexis [Bledel] and Amy [Sherman-Palladino]… I have so many fond memories of our time together on Gilmore Girls and since, mainly via email.
I think everyone who knew or worked with Ed found him to be absolutely delightful… Everything looks a little dim, as if the lights went down."
The actor's 1.95 metre frame and melodious voice saw him make his mark on stage, screen and as a documentary narrator.
He reprised the role of Franklin Delano Roosevelt five times after his performance in film 'Eleanor and Franklin' and its sequel 'Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years'.
He would take on the role again in the 1982 screen version of 'Annie' before notably voicing Roosebelt in Ken Burns's 2013 documentary, 'The Roosevelts'.
