Edward Matthew Lauter Jr. (/ˈlɔːtər/LAW-tər;[1] October 30, 1938 – October 16, 2013) was an American actor and stand-up comedian.[2] He appeared in more than 200 films and TV series episodes in a career that spanned over 40 years.[3]
Early life
Lauter was born and raised in Long Beach, New York,[3] the son of Edward Matthew Lauter and Sally Lee, a 1920s Broadway actress and dancer.[1][4] He was of German and Irish descent.[5]
After graduating from high school, he majored in English Literature in college and received a B.A. degree in 1961 from the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University.[1] While in college, he played basketball.[2] Lauter served for two years in the U.S. Army.
Career
Lauter's first acting role was a small part in the Broadway production of The Great White Hope, a boxing drama, in 1968. Before that, he was a stand-up comedian.[2] His screen acting debut was in a 1971 episode of the television series Mannix.[3] His first theatrical film role was in the Western Dirty Little Billy in 1972.[3]
As a character actor, Lauter was known for his 6'2" height and balding looks.[2] He starred with Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris, Karen Black, and William Devane in Alfred Hitchcock's final film, Family Plot.[1] Hitchcock was impressed by Lauter and asked him to play a major role in the romantic espionage thriller he planned as his next film; the director's failing health and eventual death in 1980 meant that The Short Night never went into production.[6]
He was married four times; his last wife was Mia Roberts. He had four children from previous marriages.[10] He continued to work until a few months before his death, completing roles in several films still to be released after his death.[11]
