Veteran character actor Ed Lauter, who appeared in over 200 films and television episodes in a career that spanned five decades, passed away today at the age of 74.
Lauter died of mesothelioma, at terminal cancer most commonly caused by asbestos exposure. The actor had just been diagnosed in May with the disease.
While you may not necessarily remember his name, you definitely remember his face. Lauter portrayed a variety of characters throughout his career, such as Burt Reynold’s prison guard nemesis in “The Longest Yard,” a sleazy gas station attendant in “The Family Plot,” Alfred Hitchcock’s last film, and Bérénice Bejo’s butler in “The Artist”.
Lauter also appeared in the films The New Centurions (1972), The Last American Hero (1973), T French Connection II (1975), King Kong (1976), Magic (1978), Cujo (1983), Lassiter (1984), Death Wish(1985), The Rocketeer (1991), Trial by Jury (1994), Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Mulholland Falls(1995) and Seabiscuit (2003), the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, Seraphim Falls (2006), The Number 23 (2007), The Artist (2011) and Trouble With The Curve (2012).
His television credits include “The Office,” ”ER,” ”Murder, She Wrote” and “The Rockford Files.”
Even after his diagnosis, Lauter continued to work in several films that have yet to be release. Blind Pass and The Town That Dreaded Sundown are two films that are expected to be released within the next year.
He is survived his wife, Mia, and four children.
