Character actor James Rebhorn, who was a familiar face on many film and television productions, died at his home on Friday after a long battle with melanoma, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 65.

With a bony thin, wiry build and with eyes that could belie either soft characters or hard ones, the Philadelphia native became a reliable utility player in Hollywood, as evidenced by the myriad of roles he took on ranging from sitcoms (30 Rock) to playing a take-no-prisoners serial killer on Law and Order (as well as returning to the show with the reoccurring role recurring role of a defense attorney). He played a major role in sitcom history, as it was his district attorney character who prosecuted Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer in the 1989 2-part series finale of Seinfeld.

Skilled in especially playing well-to-do types like lawyers and doctors, a short list of Rebhorn’s work would include appearances on Homeland (as the father of Claire Danes’ CIA officer Carrie Mathison), USA’s White Collar (in the reoccurring role of Special Agent Reese Hughes), Scent of a Woman, My Cousin Vinny, Carlito’s Way, Meet the Parents, Independence Day (as the “sniveling little weasel” Secretary of Defense), The Equalizer, Regarding Henry, and Silkwood. All in all, Rebhorn appeared in over 100 productions, via the stage as well as the silver and small screens.

RIP James Rebhorn
September 1, 1948 – March 21, 2014

[Source: The Hollywood Reporter]