#character-actor

#character-actor

He later began working in fundraising and moved to Los Angeles, where he collaborated on public service announcements with marquee names like Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon and Henry Winkler. But it wasn't until his 50s that Stevenson got bit by the acting bug. He made his onscreen debut in an 1982 episode of Voyagers! and subsequently landed small roles in TV series such as Dynasty, L.A. Law and Cheers.

It's so much fun being a character actor,

Whitlock was a Midwestern kid, born in South Bend, where he attended John Adams High School. He was also an athlete, a football player at Southwest Minnesota State University, but injury pushed him from the field to the stage, where he played a role in The Crucible. He caught the acting bug, joining the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco after graduating, and taking off from there.

What, exactly, is a character actor? Thankfully, the film gods blessed us with Willem Dafoe to answer that question. The legendary performer, who turned 70 this July, embodies the term. In a career spanning forty-five years and over 150 film credits, he is perennially gravitating towards bold, eccentric rolesoften in supporting capacity. He might not be the star of any given show, but he usually ends up stealing it.

"passed peacefully in his sleep," a representative for the family told Fox News Digital.

Hiller has been a beloved character actor for years, but the dearly departed Somebody Somewherewas the first time he got to show off his full range of gifts.

Kenneth Colley, a character actor, captured audience attention for over 60 years in roles such as Admiral Piett in Star Wars and Jesus in Life of Brian.