James Rebhorn

Character actor James Rebhorn essayed countless flinty professionals in a wide variety of projects, from dramas like "Silkwood" (1983) and "Scent of a Woman" (1992) to broad comedies like "My Cousin Vinny" (1992) and "Baby Mama" (2008) over the course of a three-decade career in films and on television. The Pennsylvania native began acting on the New York stage before graduating to TV and features in the late 1970s; by the middle of the 1980s, he had established his screen persona and worked tirelessly for the next three decades. Like many character actors, Rebhorn was frequently cast in similar roles - what the New York Times called "men in suits" - but in doing so, established himself as a consummate professional in some of the most popular and memorable projects of the 1990s and 2000s, including the final episode of "Seinfeld" (NBC 1989-1998) and hit shows like "Law & Order" (NBC 1990-2008) and "Homeland" (Showtime 2011- ). Rebhorn was busy with numerous recurring projects when he died on March 21, 2014 after a long battle with skin cancer. His self-penned obit, published after his death, displayed the gentler, deeply human nature of the actor - qualities that, while not always an element of his screen roles, made him a well-regarded and prolific figure in the industry for many years.