Ed Lauter, Acclaimed Character Actor, Dies Of Cancer At 74

Ed Lauter, an actor whose career spanned over four decades, died on Wednesday of cancer – mesothelioma – at the age of 74.

Lauter, a prolific character actor, had an impressive career and appeared in everything from television shows to Oscar winning films. He acted in Alfred Hitchcock’s last film, Family Plot and most recently had a role in 2012 Best Picture winner, The Artist, and the Clint Eastwood film Trouble With The Curve (pictured). Over the years, Lauter appeared on television in The A-Team, Miami Vice, ER and Shameless, to name a few.

Lauter is known as the actor everybody has seen, but can’t quite place, a trait Lauter was happy with.

“A lot of people say, ‘I know you,’ but they don’t know my name. But I’ve had a great run,” Lauter told The Los Angeles Times in 2012.

Some of his famous co-stars have expressed their grief on Twitter. Rob Lowe, who acted with Lauter in the 1986 film Youngblood, tweeted his condolences, recalling Lauter’s role as his hockey coach, writing, “Goodbye, coach.”

Sad to hear of Ed Lauter passing. Great actor and nice man. Goodbye, coach. #Youngblood.

— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) October 17, 2013

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Kevin McKidd, who acted alongside Lauter on one of his first episodes of Grey’s Anatomy in 2008, also tweeted about Lauter’s death and sent out well wishes to his family, describing Lauter as a “wonderful man and actor.”

So sad to hear Ed Lauter passed, worked with him on 1 of my first eps of Greys- wonderful man and actor – thoughts to his family

— Kevin McKidd (@TheRealKMcKidd) October 17, 2013

Movie-goers will get a chance to see Lauter in his last film roles, Blind Pass and The Town That Dreaded Sundown, according to IMDB.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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