Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayals of the elderly James Ryan in "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) and as Palmer Harper on the television series "Passions". After serving as a Second Lieutenant during the Korean War, he began his career in local theater in his native Port Huron appearing in such productions as "A Christmas Carol," "The Importance of Being Ernest," "A Murder is Announced," and "Meet Me in St. Louis." After relocating to New York City in 1973, he made his Broadway debut in "Short Eyes" where he was discovered by film director Martin Scorsese who cast in him in a supporting role in the 1976 film "Taxi Driver." He later became a household name on television, often performing as either a father, grandfather, doctor, educator, politician, or kind-hearted neighbor, in such sitcoms as "ER", "The Jeff Foxworthy Show," "Boston Common," "Beverly Hills 90210," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "The West Wing," "Melrose Place," "Providence," "7th Heaven," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigations," "Law & Order," and "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction." He also appeared in the films "Champions" (1997), "Expose" (1997), "Primary Colors" (1998), "Blast from the Past" (1999), "Starforce" (2000), "Blue Shark Hash" (2001), "Trance" (2002), and "One More Round" (2005). He died from natural causes upon completion of his last major film role in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2005).
Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayals of the elderly James Ryan in "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) and as Palmer Harper on the television series "Passions". After serving as a Second Lieutenant during the Korean War, he began his career in local theater in his native Port Huron appearing in such productions as "A Christmas Carol," "The Importance of Being Ernest," "A Murder is Announced," and "Meet Me in St. Louis." After relocating to New York City in 1973, he made his Broadway debut in "Short Eyes" where he was discovered by film director Martin Scorsese who cast in him in a supporting role in the 1976 film "Taxi Driver." He later became a household name on television, often performing as either a father, grandfather, doctor, educator, politician, or kind-hearted neighbor, in such sitcoms as "ER", "The Jeff Foxworthy Show," "Boston Common," "Beverly Hills 90210," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "The West Wing," "Melrose Place," "Providence," "7th Heaven," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigations," "Law & Order," and "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction." He also appeared in the films "Champions" (1997), "Expose" (1997), "Primary Colors" (1998), "Blast from the Past" (1999), "Starforce" (2000), "Blue Shark Hash" (2001), "Trance" (2002), and "One More Round" (2005). He died from natural causes upon completion of his last major film role in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2005).
Bio by: Lowell Thurgood
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